Dayton Chronicle - Your Hometown News Source

DAYTON-The Columbia County Rural Library Board of Trustees (CCRLD) were briefed on the process for parental notes on library cards; acknowledged the Library Dissolution proposition is now on the ballot; heard discussion on setting a time to review the policy of collection development; discussion on employee weapon policy; suspending book buying during the August 21 meeting. Enlightening discussion and suggestions were made by local residents through the public comment period.

CCRLD Board Chairman Jay Ball asked Library Director Ellen Brigham to explain the system in place where parents can leave notes to their children's accounts for any restrictions on materials they can check out. Parents can limit access to certain titles, topics, authors by noting it when applying for a library card and any time after, when needed. This is not a new capability at the library parents have had the option for time. By doing this step when signing children up at the library, parents are ensured when their child tries to check out a forbidden book, it will alert the person recording the book checkout. It put into place another level of caution for underaged children.

The petition to dissolve the library district was approved for the ballot by the Board of Trustees after being certified by the county auditor, Brigham stated. Chairman Jay Ball had said at the special meeting on August 2, the board was compelled to approve it. The petition is the result of over 10% of county residents supporting the closure due to placement of sexually explicit books in sections for minors, and concern for a budget of nearly a half million dollars from the county tax levy.

Since coming into the interim position, Brigham has moved young adult non-fiction books for minors downstairs among other non-fiction adult books upstairs. She was asked to move fiction books with sexual content from sections for minors to the adult section, but at this time, the move has not been made. A review of the collection policy has been suggested by Board Trustee Chuck Beleny. Chairman Jay Ball agreed to placing the review on the September agenda.

Discussion to curtail book purchasing over the next few months until the election was discussed. Both Rust and Beleny were in favor of limiting spending which is between $2,000-$5,000 per month in case the dissolution passes. Board Trustee Karen Spann, Trustee Sharon Mendel, and Ball thought the library should run normally and continue to offer new books as part of their regular services. The matter was tabled.

The policy for possession of weapons by employees on the premises was revised and approved as recommended by the library's attorney. The language of the policy was such that it could be interpreted to include patrons in restricting weapons which is unlawful.

In other business, the carpet cleaning and repairs for the Delany Room and the lower level will be scheduled and paid for from the budget item that was set aside for full replacement. The bidding companies suggested that replacement was not necessary, and the cleaning and repairs would be sufficient for now. There was discussion about purchasing furniture for the Delany Room that will continue during future meetings.

The following is comment and suggestions from attending citizens.

Columbia County resident Thomas Utt questioned the presentation given about the Dayton Library to the Washington Library Association in March by Ball and Vandenbark, and suggested the content be shared with the Dayton community. Also, of question was whether the American Library Association (ALA) influences the Dayton library collection policy, and he voiced that the library associations are no longer worthy of respect. He said it can be easily searched that Emily Drabinsky, who took over as president of the ALA just last month, is a self-professed Marxist "who believes collective power is possible to build and can be wielded for a better world" through solidarity. Utt recommended the library considers alternatives that "might more closely align to the values of our community rather than our community being expected to take on values of an organization that is now being run by someone who is self-described as a Marxist."

Jeannie Lyonnais, a 30-year school employee, now retired, had concern about certain books available for young children stating "some books were definitely pornographic for small children." She challenged the Board "to take a stand and to make a policy that states that any sexually related material should be put in an area that is clearly marked for parental discretion." She said she believes that no one in the community wants to see the library closed, but some are frustrated most of the books had not been moved. "Write a policy that gives the director your direction to say 'protect the children' by having [the books] in a location where children don't access them. If their parents want them to be accessed, fine, they can check them out." She voiced support that parents can make notes on their child's account but thought that it was not enough of a safeguard.

Marcene Hendrickson offered some hope for the future with a library. "The CCRLD has only operated for about 15 years. What would happen if the majority voted to dissolve the rural library district? First, the city or the county could operate the library. RCW 27.12.030. The county would receive the money and all other assets except the books. RCW 27.12.320. The building would be re-deeded to the city – a stipulation of the original quick-claim deed between the city and the county library. As was the case when the city Dayton Memorial Library closed, the rural library district has the option to donate their books - RCW 27.12.305 - to a third iteration of our library system. With prudent use of money such as our library reserve fund, over $82,600 in unpaid due tax from Columbia Pulp facility itself and endowment income, the library may reopen. With well-informed direction and prudent use of funds, we could likely operate while we had to time to formulate a plan forward. However, for long-term operation we would need taxpayer funding and another vote would be necessary. Respectful discussion of all options is necessary for a positive solution."

Amy Rosenberg disagreed that the library could continue to run interrupted because the books and funds would be gone. "Once this library is gone, it's gone – forever."