Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has suspended state funding for OverDrive – a digital distributor of ebooks, audiobooks, online magazines and streaming video titles that is used in Missouri public schools – in a move that is drawing pushback from the Missouri Library Association (MLA) which voiced concerns with the decision.
Hoskins, who is a Republican, said in a press release that his office is suspending funding to OverDrive, which oversees popular eBook apps including Sora and Libby, following allegations regarding inappropriate materials accessible to minors.
Hoskin’s office said it is actively investigating the vendor agreements between OverDrive and Missouri public schools to ensure the agreements comply with all legal requirements and include the proper restrictions to protect minors and to restrict inappropriate and illegal materials. The office said it has “called on the vendor to provide a thorough review of its policies and procedures to ensure proper safeguards are in place.”
“Our priority is protecting Missouri’s children while holding taxpayer-funded vendors accountable,” said Hoskins. “We expect Overdrive to clarify its policies and demonstrate how it is ensuring appropriate access to content.”
In a press release, MLA said that it disagrees with Hoskins’ decision and believes it was based on a misconception of how OverDrive works – and the filters available for schools, parents, and guardians. MLA said it is confident that the findings of the Secretary of State’s investigation will result in a timely reinstatement of funding.
MLA explained that materials contained within Sora, a provider of eBooks and electronic materials for school libraries, are individually selected by Missouri librarians for K-12 students, and are categorized by grade levels with consideration for both reading level and age and developmental appropriateness. MLA noted that an elementary school student cannot access materials designated for middle or high schoolers.
Additionally, each school district has the ability to remove or change the access of resources as appropriate to meet the needs of their school community. MLA further noted that librarians and library workers encourage and recommend that parents and guardians be involved in conversations with their children about what they choose to read.
“MLA and Missouri librarians fully support the rigorous nature of material selection and provision of access to our students,” MLA said in a press release. “Any allegation or request for reconsideration would be taken seriously by any library professional. Access to a variety of materials increases children’s literacy, reading comprehension, understanding of the world, and overall student achievement.”
MLA noted that this decision especially impacts students in under-resourced districts, explaining that the vast majority of school libraries pay for resources accessed through Sora using district budgets. Students, especially in rural districts and those with less funding, rely on electronic access through Sora. MLA said it believes that if there are concerns about any materials, the Secretary of State should work with librarians and the professionals curating these collections.
