Columbia Public Library waiting for response after sending officials Rainbow Story Time records

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Public Library sent state Sen. Rick Brattin an 86-page packet of records about its Rainbow Story Time event on Sept. 16, in response to a request under Missouri’s Sunshine Law.

Nearly a month later, the library says it has not heard whether Brattin has questions or concerns about the records. It is also expecting its state aid payment sometime this month, after Secretary of State Denny Hoskins threatened funding over the event.

Missouri’s Sunshine Law generally requires public governmental bodies to make public records available for inspection and copying, with exceptions for records that may legally be closed.

The records show library staff began planning for the July 25 event in May. An email described it as Daniel Boone Regional Library's first LGBTQ+-themed program for young children and said staff wanted to prepare for possible protesters or counterprotesters.

The event brought condemnation from some on social media and the ire of Republicans Hoskins and Brattin, who is running for Congress in Missouri's Fifth District.

The Columbia Public Library is overseen by the Daniel Boone Regional Library system.

In a June email, St. John said the library should promote the story time like any other program and keep Facebook comments open, while monitoring them for violations of the library’s code of conduct. She wrote that turning comments off could anger other patrons and make it seem the library was not serious about its diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

“We sent the records to him on September 16th,” St. John told ABC 17. She said the library has not heard from Brattin’s office about additional records or concerns. In an email to ABC 17 News, Library Director Robin Westphal said the request had been fulfilled and the library had “nothing outstanding” from Brattin, Hoskins or the attorney general.

Hoskins threatened the library’s state funding over the event. St. John said DBRL typically receives its state aid payment sometime in October.

“If by the end of the month we don’t get it,” St. John said, “we need to report that we’ve not got the state aid that we are statutorily obligated to get.” She said she believes there is no legal way for the secretary of state to withhold the funding.

Hoskins and Brattin said during a news conference that the library had violated the law and compared the event to sexual grooming.

St. John said she is concerned about the possibility of losing the aid, but does not regret the library’s decision to hold the event. “I think we have to be worried,” she said. “But does that mean that I regret making the decision? I don’t regret making the decision.”

The library’s safety and security manager contacted Columbia Police on July 17 about social media activity. The email said some comments had been interpreted as advocating violence or photographing children attending the program. The manager wrote that the library had not identified a specific or credible threat, but asked whether a patrol car could periodically circulate nearby before, during and after the event.

Other planning emails outlined event-day procedures, including keeping protest activity clear of walking paths, having security in the youth area and asking attendees not to film during the program. The library planned to offer photo opportunities afterward.

St. John said the planning process was similar to all of the library's other story times, with additional preparation because this was a new program. She said the books used, “Rainbow Saurus” and “Big Wig,” are available in libraries, and “Rainbow Saurus” had been used in other story times previously.

“There’s nothing in any of the planning that we did that indicates that we were trying to deceive parents about what type of story time we were having,” St. John said.

Brattin and Hoskins did not respond Wednesday to requests for comment.