Alberta libraries face January 1 deadline under new restrictions on sexual-act imagery

Alberta's libraries have until January 1 to comply with new restrictions on materials that contain visual depictions of sexual acts, according to a CBC report published in August. The rules apply to books and other reading materials, and they extend to public libraries a set of limits already in place for school libraries.

The public-library restrictions come from legislation passed in May, according to the Calgary Herald. That law builds on the province's child-access restrictions for graphic material in school libraries. Alberta's updated school library standards require school boards to remove school library materials that contain explicit visual depictions of a sexual act.

The province has set out how the rules are to be applied. A government fact sheet says the measures are focused on making sure children are not exposed to explicit visual depictions of sexual acts in shared public spaces. Operational guidelines for implementing Part 5.1 of the Libraries Regulation, a set of rules made under provincial law, set out the working details for libraries. The guidelines state that the rules cover books and other reading materials.

The changes have drawn concern from within the library sector. In April, the Calgary Herald reported that library leaders had raised alarm over the proposed restrictions, citing serious privacy concerns. Librarians have also expressed anxiety about complying with the new rules before the deadline, according to the CBC.

The school-library rules have already had visible effects. According to a May report from the Penticton Herald, more than 170 books were removed from Alberta school libraries during the current school year.