US Library Changes Logo After Complaints Linking It to LGBTQ Symbolism
The public library in Farmville, North Carolina, has dropped a multicolored logo it had used for 14 years. As WCTI News 12 reported on October 19, 2026, three residents reportedly complained to a town commissioner that the image resembled a rainbow and was associated with LGBTQ people.
The former logo shown in LGBTQ Nation’s report depicted an open book with differently colored pages spreading out like a fan. According to WCTI, the complaints concerned both the design and the library’s LGBTQ programming.
Farmville Mayor Alex Joyner criticized the decision-making process, saying the change had not been publicly discussed beforehand and residents had not been given a chance to comment. He said the library should welcome everyone and expressed concern that dropping the old design after complaints could suggest to LGBTQ residents that they were unwelcome.
Town Manager Andrew DeIonno offered a different explanation. In comments to WITN, he said the library had been asked to bring its visual identity into line with the town’s branding, rather than remove rainbow colors. He said more than $300,000 had already been spent on town branding and the library was the only municipal department that did not use Farmville’s new F in its logo.
Resident AC Salaam told WITN that she did not consider the logo change itself particularly significant and thought most people would probably not notice it. However, she shared the mayor’s concerns about prejudice in the town.
A regular Board of Commissioners meeting at Town Hall is scheduled for November 2 at 5:30 p.m. local time. According to WCTI, discussion of the new logo is expected, and residents will be able to share their views.
Farmville’s mayor is elected by residents, while day-to-day municipal operations are run by a manager appointed by the board. This division of responsibilities is described on the town’s official website.
The former Farmville Public Library logo. Still from a WCTI News 12 report. Image resized.
Uránia previously reported on another dispute over rainbow symbolism in the US: bricks from a removed Miami Beach crosswalk were used to raise funds for LGBTQ organizations.
