Readers in Guernsey will still find David Walliams books on public shelves this week, even as serious misconduct allegations against the celebrity children’s author swirl across British media.
Guille-Alles Library in St Peter Port confirmed it has no plans to withdraw the author’s popular titles from circulation. Library leaders stated that their primary duty is defending intellectual freedom rather than vetting authors over personal accusations.
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The decision matters because it sets a clear boundary between an author’s personal conduct and public access to their work. As public institutions across Britain weigh how to respond to controversies involving public figures, the Channel Island library is taking a firm institutional stance against removing published material.
Why the library is keeping David Walliams books
Officials at Guille-Alles Library acknowledged that the situation surrounding the author carries significant public concern. Even so, the library explained that professional lending ethics prevent staff from purging books unless the text itself violates the law.
A library spokesperson stated that staff recognize the sensitive and complex nature of the issue. The spokesperson added that the institution takes seriously its responsibility to protect people’s freedom to read what they want to read.
“As a public library, we follow established professional and ethical principles in deciding which books to include in our collection,” the spokesperson said. “The starting point is that books should remain available to readers unless the content of those books is illegal.”
The allegations facing the children’s author
The library’s statement follows published reports by ITV News and the Guardian, which detailed sexual misconduct accusations brought by several women against Walliams. The claims date back over a span of 10 to 20 years.
Walliams strongly denied breaking any laws or abusing his position in entertainment. In an official response to the reporting outlets, he acknowledged that past romantic relationships lacked consideration at times, but rejected any characterization of predatory behavior.
“And whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did.”
Walliams added that he felt devastated that women he knew years ago now feel anger toward him, while reiterating that he denies all allegations of wrongdoing.
What readers should watch for next
Public libraries frequently face community pressure during high-profile scandals, but wholesale removal of inventory remains rare outside of legal interventions. For families in St Peter Port, borrowing policies for all David Walliams books remain entirely unchanged for the foreseeable future.
The next development to watch will be whether retail chains and educational bodies in the UK follow the library’s approach or reconsider their own commercial ties with the author.
Source: BBC
