National libraries group urges Alberta to ditch ‘political interference’ in libraries

EDMONTON – An organization representing large public libraries across Canada warns Alberta’s proposed bill affecting libraries threatens “unprecedented” government overreach into organizations meant to be shielded from political control.

The Canadian Urban Libraries Council is urging United Conservative Premier Danielle Smith’s government to ditch its proposed changes to Alberta’s law governing libraries in a bill currently before the legislature.

Executive director Mary Chevreau says the legislation is the first of its kind in Canada, and they’re worried it could set off a domino effect of censorship by governments of all stripes.

“We cannot let this thing change how we have access to information. We cannot do it — not in Canada,” she said in an interview Wednesday. 

The council represents more than 50 of the country’s largest public library systems, serving an estimated 77 per cent of all Canadians.

Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams proposed the legislation early this month. 

If passed, it will create new ministerial authority he promises will be used to ensure children ages 15 and under won’t be able to access visual depictions of sex. Specific regulations, to be drafted in the coming months, may demand such material be controlled by library staff or put in separate areas.

“We will require that they are put behind a counter in a place that children cannot find them while wandering these libraries,” Williams said after tabling the bill, holding up copies of graphic sex images to prove his point.

But Chevreau said it’s a virtually non-existent problem well managed by libraries, and doesn’t acknowledge the context, including precautions taken on where adult material is shelved and how it’s reviewed and curated.

She called Williams’ narrative a smokescreen to justify new ministerial powers with no guardrails in the legislation.

Chevreau, in a Tuesday letter to Williams, said the government’s moves will restrict access to specific materials for everyone.

“Censorship infringes on intellectual freedom,” she writes.

The Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries has warned that quarantining books isn’t practical, and the bill opens the door for other topics and belief systems to be censored by the government. And, they’ve said the bill would give Williams more authority over a public library than the municipality that appoints and funds the library board.

Critics, including Chevreau, note the bill makes no mention of explicit material — sexual or otherwise — but instead gives the minister the broad authority to restrict any topic. 

And, they say it means the province could potentially inspect patron records, risking privacy breaches.

“That’s what scares me as well — that there is nothing right now that would stop (an inspector) from saying, ‘I want to see everything that somebody’s read and or placed on hold, and I want a copy of it, and I’m going to do whatever I want with it,” said Chevreau.

Williams’ office has said the government has no interest in inspecting the private borrowing records of Albertans.

In response to the national council’s letter, Williams reiterated his focus is on keeping explicit visual sexual content behind the library counter.

When asked by reporters Tuesday why the legislation doesn’t put any guardrails on potential new ministerial powers, Williams said the guardrails are in “making sure that parents are the ones that ultimately make this decision” about what their kids access.

Asked again why the bill has no restrictions to potential overreach, Williams said “libraries are creatures of the province.”

“We have to have accountability when it comes to taxpayer dollars at an elected level, and ultimately, the government needs to make sure that there aren’t abuses happening.”

Chevreau said Williams’ stance diminishes the role of parents, implying they don’t know best.

Local public libraries get the majority of their funding from municipalities. 

In this year’s provincial budget, $33.7 million is set aside for public library operating grants across the province — a number that the Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries has said still relies on 2019 population numbers.

The latest municipal operating budget for the Edmonton Public Library alone is projected to be $72 million, with $5.6 million coming through provincial grants.

On Wednesday, Alberta Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the UCP is creating a culture war nobody asked for. He said if Williams really wants to stop children from accessing pornography, he’s going about it the wrong way.

“It wouldn’t be (done by) shoddy legislation that gives library inspectors the right to examine your borrowing history,” Nenshi said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2026.