“We, the undersigned Citizens and registered electors of the Meridian Library District, respectfully demand that a vote to dissolve the Meridian Library District be put on the next available election ballot,” the group’s petition, titled “Petition to save the children of Meridian and end misuse of Meridian taxpayer funds,” says in part.

If dissolution does occur, all of the library district’s property and assets will be disposed of by the Ada County Board of Commissioners.

The Ada County Board of Commissioners is reviewing the petition and working with the clerk’s and prosecutor’s offices to make sure the board follows the right steps according to Idaho Code.

The petition will be presented to the board at its meeting on Thursday. A public hearing must then be held within three to six weeks. The board can then decide whether to put the dissolution on the ballot.

The Meridian Library Board declined to comment, but said it would have representation at Thursday’s meeting.

Members of Concerned Citizens of Meridian were not available for comment.

“It’s tragic and ironic,” Meridian City Councilmember Joe Borton said. “It’s tragic because Meridian Library District is a critical piece of our community. ... The ironic part is, one of the primary tenets of being independent, and personal responsibility, is being involved and engaged as a parent in how you utilize your public library.”

Part of republicanism is individual responsibility, Borton said.

“We promote that,” Borton said. “Rather than encouraging the government to decide what’s best, the individual is responsible.”

There are other challenges that come with the effort, Borton said.

“You’ve got large-scale, long-term capital projects underway,” Borton said. “You create a chilling effect on the ability of the library to even complete its existing capital projects. Not to mention the expenditure of taxpayer funds and staff time dealing with an election. These are all things that the board of commissioners will need to consider when making their determination.”

One such capital project is the new South Branch location at Lake Hazel and Locust Grove roads, according to the Meridian Library website. It’s projected to open sometime this year.

The issue of libraries and the content of their books has split the Idaho Republican party, including in Meridian, where Republican leaders have spoken out against library challenges.

The Concerned Citizens of Meridian have been making their presence known at the library board for months. Before the group officially formed, a group of conservative candidates “served” the Meridian Library Board in April 2022 with letters related to potential tort claims. One of the people involved, Mike Hon, became a founding member of the group. No legal filings were ultimately submitted against the library, a Meridian Library spokesperson said.

In August, more than 100 people testified at a library board meeting. Concerned Citizens of Meridian was in attendance and accused library staff of “grooming children,” Boise State Public Radio reported at the time.

Former Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin visited the Meridian library with members of the group in November. Later that month, the Idaho Liberty Dogs, a far-right activist group, shared a Facebook post that claimed that high-level elected officials would be in attendance for the library board’s upcoming meeting. Two police officers were in attendance, but no one from the Liberty Dogs or any elected officials showed up.

In December, Concerned Citizens of Meridian founding member Phil Reynolds posted that there would be a “very large prayer vigil” in front of Library Director Nick Grove’s house. One police officer was present at Grove’s house but no protesters showed up, according to the city of Meridian.

Reynolds has previously posted about defunding the Meridian Library Tax District. His comments previously prompted City Councilmember Liz Strader to post on Twitter about extremists attacking the library.

“It was unnerving but it definitely scared my family,” Grove said on the City Cast Boise podcast in January. “It’s definitely disconcerting. It’s very difficult to explain to an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old what they have to do if something bad is to happen at our house because people don’t like books that are available in the library…my 6-year-old…his statement was, “they can’t tell me what to read.”

But the group is far from the only challenge posed to the library. Legislators have also been attempting to change how libraries operate.

Last year, the Idaho House passed a bill, HB 666, that would have criminally charged librarians if a minor were to check out materials deemed “harmful.” During debate on the House floor, representatives passed around a “super secret folder” of the materials they objected to being available in libraries.

“I would rather my 6-year-old grandson start smoking cigarettes tomorrow than get a view of this stuff one time,” Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, said at the time.

Just this week, the House State Affairs Committee introduced a proposal to allow civil penalties for schools or public libraries that allow minors access to “obscene or harmful” materials, as previously reported.

From May 2022 to November 2022, residents sent in 10 requests to remove books from the Meridian Library. They gave reasons such as swearing, sex, and fictional characters being mad at their parents. Many questioned whether the books were appropriate and suggested instead that the content matter be restricted to people over 21.

A University of Idaho psychologist previously told the Idaho Press that things like questioning authority and exploring gender identity are typical teen behaviors.

“The major personality task of the teen years is identity formation. And that’s not just sexual identity or gender identity. It’s all the identities,” Professor of Psychology and Communication Jamie Derrick said. “There’s all these ways that teenagers are asking really important questions that is essentially, ‘Who am I?’”

Idaho Press reporters Sydney Kidd and Emily White contributed.