After state funding was taken away over certain books in the teen section, the Fairhope Public Library has decided to keep two of its books in their original places.

On April 21, the Fairhope Public Library board voted to retain two challenged books in their teen section that had been deemed "inappropriate" and "sexually explicit." The two books are "Grown" by Tiffany Jackson and "Sold" by Patricia McCormick and center on young girls facing sexual abuse and exploitation.

Several members of the library board read the two books and said neither met the requirements that could lead them to be relocated into the adult section. The board's requirements include reviewing previous legal standards over what is defined as obscenity. This includes analyzing an entire book on whether it appeals to prurient interests that can be viewed as sexually stimulating or has the potential to be sexually arousing. The library also takes into account "community standards" on whether a book should be relocated to another section.

The library board's decision comes after several books were challenged by several individuals, including those from the conservative activist organization Moms for Liberty. 13 books are slated for review in the near future, with each book being read and analyzed by individual library board members as part of their review process. In the past few months, five books have already been moved from the teen section to the adult section.

In March, the Alabama Public Library Services (APLS) decided to pause state funding to the library over alleged violations of its code. APSL chairman John Wahl, who also serves as the chair for the Alabama Republican Party, indicated that state funding will likely not be reinstated anytime soon, saying the Fairhope Library board was given "clear and specific guidance" on state code and guidelines, though he said the APLS has not issued a judgement on whether these books "contained inappropriate material under state code."

"The APLS board has been clear that there are no exceptions or loopholes in the new code changes — compliance with state code is mandatory for continued access to state funding," Wahl said in a statement. "My conversations with Fairhope officials have been respectful and cordial. I strongly encourage them to listen to the people of Fairhope and relocate inappropriate materials out of the library's youth sections. The decision on whether to come into compliance remains in their hands."

The Fairhope Public Library became the first library in the state to lose state funding over violation of the new APLS code. Board Chair Anne Johnson said the board was blindsided by the sudden loss of state aid and said she thinks the library is in compliance with state code. In a fundraiser, the local anti-censorship group Read Freely Alabama raised over $46,000 for the library within days to replace the originally estimated $42,000 that would be lost from state funding. The money raised would actually be enough to cover funding for at least around 18 months.