Alberta rules on school library books to start Oct. 1

Alberta's education minister says school libraries must pull explicit, sexual content from their shelves starting Oct. 1. Demetrios Nicolaides says the province's new standards aren't about banning books but ensuring kids aren't exposed to the wrong material for their age.

The government has issued a list of specific sex acts that cannot be explicitly described in library books. It considers mentions of kissing, hugging or handholding as not sexual in nature and not part of the ban.

Religious texts, such as the Bible, are also exempt. School boards must review library materials, supervise students' access, and report to the government, but there will be no additional funding to help them.