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He said it would have been clearer and more fair if the government provided a list, to “take responsibility for deciding on what materials need to be restricted.”

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others, said Sheppard.

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“Some libraries are completely overwhelmed, because it’s everything they can do now just to keep their doors open, they can’t even begin to look at extra costs,” he said, adding provincial grants remain at 2019 levels.

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In the minutes of its May 20 board meeting, the St. Albert Public Library states complying with Bill 28 will add $100,000 in costs.

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The Calgary Public Library said it’s not yet able to measure the fiscal costs of adherence or other impacts.

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“We cannot speculate on how service at our local library will need to change. We continue to seek clarity on the scope of impacted materials and remain in close contact with the (government’s) Public Library Services Branch,” the CPL said in an email.

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“Public libraries across Alberta are reviewing these new regulations and working together to understand the possible impacts to service.”

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At its central location downtown, the Calgary Public Library recently showcased individual books commonly cited as contentious, with each accompanied by commentary challenging readers to consider the tome’s place in the debate.

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A display of books, themselves referring to titles that may be on the Alberta banned and challenged list, is shown at the Calgary Public Library’s central branch in downtown Calgary on August 14, 2026. Jim Wells/Postmedia

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The legislation could cost the Edmonton Public Library $500,000 to build separate spaces for restricted material and to cover additional staff duties, said outgoing CEO Pilar Martinez.

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“It’s being perceived as a simple exercise that we can simply snap our fingers, without the realization of the resources needed,” she said.

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“But it’s more than a dollar cost, it’s a cost on values and the price we’re paying as a democratic society.”

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While Sheppard was reluctant to deem the legislation outright censorship, Martinez wasn’t.

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“Making it impossible to access (materials) is also censorship — if a parent says it’s OK for their kid, we trust that — we’re not the gatekeepers,” she said.

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“I’m sad it’s happening in my province . . . it’s so dismaying.”

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She echoed Sheppard in insisting the legislation isn’t necessary, given libraries already successfully deal with an extremely small number of complaints about material that ranges from political contentions to concerns over sexual content.

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So far this year, the Edmonton system, which boasts about 300,000 members, has fielded four complaints, said Martinez, who suspects the legislation is political theatre to placate the UCP government’s far-right base.

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While the government has assured libraries the number of restricted items will be small, she said it’s difficult to know given they’ve provided no list, adding it’s possible complaints from lobby groups pushing for the legislation could clash with libraries’ ultimate decisions.

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“They (government) know what they want us to remove, so tell us, but there doesn’t seem to be any interest in that,” said Martinez.

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A table of books at the back of the Calgary Public Library’s Crowfoot branch raises awareness about access to reading materials. Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia

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One of the more troubling parts of the new legislation includes the ability of government-appointed inspectors who can conduct complaint-driven on-site reviews of compliance, said Sheppard.

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“These inspections have never existed in libraries, I’m not aware of, anywhere in the free world,” he said, pointing to inspectors’ power to copy library records.

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“(That) is causing a stir, because some wonder if inspection extends to patron records.”

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A spokesman for Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams said those inspections would be no different than those that already apply to municipalities, and their intention is to “fix problems, not punish.”

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The legislation is solely meant to prevent minors from coming across sexually explicit images, said Jack Alarie.