For the past several years, libraries have been under attack in Arkansas. Act 372 of 2023 sought to ban LGBTQIA+–themed children’s books and “protect children from sexual content” by—according to a district federal court—infringing on the First Amendment rights of everyone. This followed a conservative political effort by out-of-state actors to overwhelm public libraries with parental challenges to thousands of popular titles featuring themes of race, gender, or sexuality. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders escalated the assault on the state’s public libraries in April by signing Act 903 of 2025, prematurely ending the terms of all State Library Board members.
On August 20, Sanders officially named six appointees to the State Library Board. Not only will this disrupt the normal funding cycle many libraries rely on to provide services to their communities, but some commentators also believe that not naming seven members signals Sanders’ intent to reduce the board’s size. The bill reinstating the State Library Board directs the new members to meet within 30 days to discuss—or draw straws for—the effective term limits of new members, in order to restore rolling appointments in the coming years.
The new State Library Board appointees include:
— Clay Goff, a former school board member who opposed the formation of a club for LGBTQ students in 2023, earning some national infamy.
— Annette Bailey, a pastor’s wife.
— Former Republican state Representative Jack Fortner, who left the legislature in 2023.
— Sydney McKenzie, wife of sitting Republican state Representative Brit McKenzie.
— Emmaline Pilkington, wife of sitting Republican state Representative Aaron Pilkington.
— Lynlee McMillan of Benton, director of constituent services for the governor.
The political corruption in these selections is easily apparent and becomes even more shocking when it is noted that only one appointee has any known prior library experience or education. While such experience is not required for placement on the board, the lack of librarians and the appointees’ focus on faith-based politics signal the beginning of a new hit job on Arkansas’ public libraries. It also exposes clear partisan favoritism, cronyism, and outright nepotism in several cases. Learning from the failures and court rulings of past acts, Gov. Sanders appears to be stacking the deck in her favor ahead of what is likely to be an upcoming flurry of anti-library political maneuvers.
The State Senate is required to approve gubernatorial appointments. Given the makeup of this round of appointees and the Republican supermajority in Little Rock, it is likely we will see little to no resistance, particularly for those whose husbands are seated in the State House.
Perhaps the only silver lining is Sanders’ decision not to reappoint former state Sen. Jason Rapert. Rapert often wasted time during board meetings complaining about being the only man on the board, and his actions contributed to the board’s punitive disbandment when his repeated attempts to censor LGBTQIA+ children’s titles—often already ruled unconstitutional—failed. He also clashed with the board when they refused to disassociate from the American Library Association. These conflicts led Rapert to publicly call for the board’s abolition, a mantle later taken up by Sen. Dan Sullivan, who put forward the bill that resulted in Act 903.
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