FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — An Arkansas law to hold librarians criminally responsible for knowingly giving out obscene books to kids is set to take effect July 1.

According to Arkansas Act 372, librarians can face jail time or fines of up to $10,000 if they violate the new law.

Carol Coffey with the Arkansas Library Association says she is very concerned about it because libraries offer books for everyone.

“There is a great deal of concern among librarians in Arkansas because it does seem very vague. It’s not spelled out what does ‘knowingly’ mean,” Coffey said.

Republican State Sen. Dan Sullivan says the law allows parents to challenge a book they think is inappropriate for their child in a certain section of the library.

“If the challengers determine or believe that the book is inappropriately placed, then I want to go next to the library board and have the challengers still believe that it was inappropriately placed then it would go to the quorum court,” Sullivan said.

However, Coffey says librarians would never deliberately put obscene materials in the children’s section.

“We are very cognizant of that some materials are aimed at children, and some are aimed at adults. And, we place those materials accordingly, so we’re not putting adult materials in the children’s section,” Coffey said.

Coffey says as this law moves forward, she expects challenges along the way for everyone while Sullivan says he expects things to remain the same.

“All the bill does is create a process, so I mean, libraries don’t have to do anything that I’m aware of other than to follow the process,” Coffey said.

“Whatever books are pulled, that would be somebody’s way into the life of someone else is very different. That’s going to keep that child from learning about what it’s like to be someone else in the society they live in,” Coffey said.