The Grand Marais Public Library sponsored a drag queen story hour in February 2023 to help the Cook County Pride Organization with fundraising for their organization. Once again the library is involved in planning a drag queen story hour for June 2023. The library has justified their support of such events by stating that a drag queen story hour aligns with the library’s mission and priorities of “serving underprivileged communities” to include the LGBTQIA+. The mission statement that we are aware of from their webpage is this: “The Grand Marais Public Library increases knowledge, inspires creativity, removes barriers, and builds community across Cook County.” Drag queen story hours have become so controversial that it begs the question: Does this event really help with removing barriers or building community across Cook County? We don’t think so.

This is the crux of the petition... public libraries are funded by taxpayer dollars. The library should not support, financially or through other resources, activities like a drag queen story hour that alienates segments of the very community that they are dedicated to serving. Although reasons against a drag queen story hour are diverse, this petition is aimed at specifically asking the public library to stop engaging in political and ideological activism. The drag queen story hour is one such example of this. They are promoting an ideology and not literacy. This is not the job of the library, and especially a library that is funded through city, county and state dollars that We have provided through our taxes.

If you believe that the Grand Marais Public Library should not engage in activism, we ask you to show your support by signing the petition.

Thank you!

Concerned Residents of Cook County