Attorney General Alan Wilson sends letter to Charleston County Library Board regarding sexually explicit material in children's section

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson sent a letter to the Charleston County Library Board, reminding them to be mindful of their obligations under state law.

"As both Attorney General and as a parent, I was deeply troubled by the reports of sexually explicit and age-inappropriate material in the children's book section of these libraries," Attorney General Wilson said. "There is no responsibility more important than protecting our children."

The letter highlights Proviso 27.1 of the FY 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, which requires county libraries to certify to the State Library and have a policy in place that "their county libraries do not offer any books or materials that appeal to the prurient interest of children under the age of seventeen in children’s, youth, or teen book sections of libraries and are only made available with explicit parental consent.”

The general purpose of the letter is to ensure that the issue has been resolved inside the Charleston County Library System and that there is proper understanding of the law.

You can read the letter here.