Editor:
In regard to Pamela Mitchell’s letter of July 1: I, too, am appalled at whatever is really going on at our library. For years we had a wonderful head librarian; she has retired. The current head librarian was hired and things began to go downhill. Books are no longer in the stacks.
Often, books are “reassigned” by topic, seemingly overnight, making a trip to the library more of a scavenger hunt than the pleasant experience it should be. For example, Lee Child by his own definition writes mysteries. In Sweet Home they have been reclassified as “thrillers.”
The two long-time employees, who by their hard work and dedication made the library what it is today, have had their hours cut to the point where they cannot make a living (leading one to finally resign to seek full-time employment); meanwhile, the City Council approved hiring a part-time employee to relieve the head librarian of her burden of excessive hours closeted inside her office with the door closed, unwilling or unable to help library patrons. If there were “extra” hours to be had, why weren’t they offered back to the people they were taken from in the first place rather than hiring a crony of the head librarian?
Periodically, City Manager Craig Martin sends out questionnaires soliciting information regarding patron satisfaction with the service we’ve experienced at the library. Unfortunately, he appears uninterested in our responses because, rather than following up himself, he refers these questionnaires back to the librarian for her response. When she dutifully calls us back, she appears to be confused to learn there is dissatisfaction and has no answers to give.
I support the library through taxes. I have always voted for the library levy. I am going to need to rethink how I feel about that the next time the city starts clamoring that we need to raise more money for the library through increased taxes.
Merrill Gallagher
Sweet Home