Vermont Library Remains Shut a Week after Trustees Fire Director
PrintBy Gordon Flagg
The abrupt firing of the director of the Swanton (Vt.) Public Library, followed by the dismissal of the assistant director, has led to what initially appeared to be a walkout by the remainder of the staff and the subsequent closure of the library.
The board of trustees terminated Director Marilyn Barney and Library Assistant Jody Martin January 4. The following day the rest of the staff left in what local media called a show of support for Barney, and the library has remained shut since then. In a letter to Burlington television station WPTZ, the staff claimed the board told Barney, who had been the library director in the town of 6,200 people for 12 years, that she was fired because she was “disrespectful, uncooperative, and [had] a negative impact in her library duties.”
On December 15, the town’s governing selectboard had criticized the library trustees for submitting a budget calling for a 9.2% increase in the total budget but a 15% cut in salaries of existing staff in order to hire a part-time children’s librarian, the St. Albans (Vt.) Messenger reported January 7. The trustees said that no one on staff had expressed interest in performing the children’s-services duties, but Barney disagreed, stating that she could not recall the staff having been asked to do so. In a December 17 letter to the selectboard, the trustees called Barney’s claim that the staff was never asked to perform the duties “a complete fabrication.” The Messenger said that the three library assistants supported Barney’s version of events and added that the library had its most-successful-ever summer reading program for children and teens in 2009.
At an emergency selectboard meeting held January 7 to discuss the library, questions were raised as to whether the trustees’ decision to fire Barney and Martin, as well as previous actions, took place in violation of the state’s Open Meeting Law, the Messenger reported January 8. “If you look at their 2009 minutes, it’s one violation after another,” said Village Trustee Armand Messier. The library trustees declined to attend the meeting on the advice of their attorney.
A two-and-a-half-hour meeting of the library board January 8 failed to resolve the issues, although the trustees agreed to mediation with employees, the Messenger reported January 11. Following a lengthy executive session, the board ratified personnel matters it had discussed behind closed doors, including a decision to reopen the library with volunteers. Residents in attendance pointed out that it was unclear how volunteers could operate the library without a director to supervise them, instruct them in library procedures, and ensure compliance with privacy laws. More than 50 people attended the meeting, and one resident’s call for the trustees to resign prompted widespread applause. The board refused requests by attendees to reopen the library with the previous staff until mediation could occur, and the library remains closed.
The meeting also heard new accounts of why two of the three the remaining staff members had not reported for work following Barney’s dismissal: One said she had been scheduled to be on vacation, and another said she had arranged with Barney to take a sick day. Board Chair Shelley Robtoy said she had attempted to contact the staffers to learn why they were absent, but the two women said they had received no calls from the trustees.
The nearby Highgate Public Library has offered services to Swanton residents who currently have no access to local library facilities, and has extended its hours to serve the additional users.
Phone messages and e-mails from American Libraries to Barney and Robtoy were not returned.
American Libraries, Tue, 01/12/2010 - 12:49
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Comments
This thread is an embarassment to professionals
I’m afraid I must agree with the commenter who said that these two articles about this library are degrading to serious library professionals who wish to use ALM for professional enrichment.
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/01152010/swanton-library-reopens-rehired-staff-trustees-resign
This thread is an embarassment to this magazine and to librarians everywhere, who should be able to recognize bias and subjectivity in an article. ALM is not the place to report small town scandals.
Swanton, VT Library
Every town and municipal library are different; each has it’s strenghts and weaknesses. But all share one thing in common, Trustees who set policy and make decisions that are sometimes contrary to the good of the staff, the library, or the community.
Through the years I’ve seen a number of trustees who micromanage the Director (and, personally, take me to task me for not doing what they took out of my hands).I’m sure that the majority of Trustees, mostly volunteers, believe they are doing the "right" thing. Front line staff know that is not always the case.
Just as there are specific job descriptions for library employees, there should also be a very detailed description of duties for library trustees and a way to enforce them (am I dreaming here?).
Anonmyous
My sympathies
Dear Library Directory,
Same thing happened to me seven years ago. It’s history now. Six directors followed in the interim, and the latest who has stayed three years, but will reach 72 this year. In short, the Trustees have done the worst thing possible for the library and your patrons. You will survive, but the library and its services will suffer. If only Trustees understood that it is not about them. Perhaps someone at the Town government level has enough chutzpah to step in and be the voice of reason.
Swanton Library director firing?
Huh? This is clearly shooting the messenger. How, in a deep recession, you cut existing staff member salaries to hire someone new is beyond ridiculous. It’s criminal. Look, everybody is doing extra duties, besides those originally assigned. Give the director a break. She was attempting to preserve her staff—without hiring anew in midst of a recession. For a board to fire its manager (director) is beyond kind words. Get a grip, board members, and remember not to give up your day job.
a librarian in Illinois, seeing compatriots thrown out of work.
Swanton update posted
Swanton PL has reopened with staff who were rehired, and the entire library board has resigned.
See:
http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/01152010/swanton-library-reopens-rehired-staff-trustees-resign
Need to see Board minutes
As a library trustee, I am interested in seeing the minutes of the Board meetings before drawing any conclusions. Library Directors do not always agree with the board’s recommendations. They are human. Board members may not always agree with Directors. But to fire someone because they are "uncooperative and disrespectful"? There must be more information missing here.
Board Minutes?
Although minutes are required in many states, the scope of content and level of accuracy is approved by the Board Members. Using executive session privilege, minutes can be entirely sealed from public view. Barring external and unbiased oversight, Board Minutes may reveal almost nothing about what actually occurs.
It is typical to use unqualified, biased terms such as "uncooperative and disrespectful" to disparage the work of people who are ‘subordinate’. However, the relationship between a board and library director should be a collaborative partnership, and the director must be able to express professional opinions and concerns to the board without consequence. If that does not occur, the director cannot do the job.
According to the St. Albans Messenger the Swanton Library Board has resigned "after ratifying a year’s worth of decisions made illegally".
R. Balliot
Sorry for rest of the staff and the public
It’s also a shame that the rest of the staff have been accused of a walkout when that may not have been the case if they were scheduled for vacation or sick time.
I agree that there must be more going on behind the scenes. It is wrong that the town residents don’t have access to a library that their tax dollars are supporting.
Lori, NH librarian
Having worked for a
Having worked for a micro-managing board who informed me that as a Director I was to be their "puppet", it doesn’t surprise me when this occurs. Is it possible that the Director asserted an opinion with which they may have disagreed? What a shame, ultimately, for the community that this Library serves as they are currently without the resources that they pay taxes to have available to them due to political posturing and pettiness, no doubt.
What is really going on?
I would be interested in what is going on behind the scenes here. Is this an example of an arrogant, micro-managing Board? Is this an example of a library director who views the library as her private kingdom and will not tolerate interference from a mere Board of Directors? Are personal vendettas being acted upon? I would be interested in hearing the Boards’ version of events before reaching any conclusions.
What Robert said...
…And, why it’s so important to have formal minutes, formally approved. Blessings on those 50 citizens who showed up at the meeting.
-Sharon, NH technology librarian
Thoughts and Prayers
My thoughts and prayers go out to the director and staff of the Swanton Library. This is further evidence of the need to require Trustees and Boards to conduct business within the same ethical standards expected of professional librarians.
R. Balliot
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