Crawford County still struggles to hire new library system director

The Crawford County Library System Board of Directors interviewed two finalists for the position of executive director in an executive session during its board meeting Tuesday (Nov. 14) but decided they needed more time to weigh their options.

The board spent more than 90 minutes in executive session interviewing Cynthia Morrison and Charlene McDonnough. Prior to going into executive session, a motion was made, seconded and voted on to do so, but no explanation was given as to why they were going into executive session, which is a violation of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The FOIA states that “Except as provided under subdivision (c)(6) of this section, an executive session will be permitted only for the purpose of considering employment, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining, or resignation of any public officer or employee.” It also states that “The specific purpose of the executive session shall be announced in public before going into executive session.”

The agenda for the meeting item V.C. (under Old Business) stated there would be an executive session, but it did not say why there would be an executive session. When the group came back in from executive session, Tammi Hamby, chair of the board, announced that the board had decided during the executive session they were not going to make a decision that night.

“We have decided to wait to make a decision. We’ll have a meeting in two to three weeks. We’ll post when,” Hamby said.

After the meeting, she said the board needed more time to think about the decision.

THE CANDIDATES
Morrison has a master’s degree in information science, which is American Library Association (ALA) accredited, from the University of Texas at Austin. She has a bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Colorado. Morrison has worked as a part-time library assistant for the Crawford County Library System since October 2021. Prior to that she served as an information technology consultant for the Bee County Chamber of Commerce in 2015;  library director of the Joe Barnhart Bee County Library in Beeville, Texas, from 2013-2015; and a reference librarian for the Joe Barnhart Bee County Library from 2011-2013.

“While I have enjoyed the easy pace of part-time public library work while raising a family, I feel it is time to contribute more to my community and focus on how I can best serve the public library. In my current position I have had opportunities to learn some of the inner workings of a multi-branch library system. I especially enjoy working at the different branches as the opportunity arises,” Morrison said in her application. “During my career as a library director, I negotiated a $20,000 increase in the library budget, streamlined the overdue notices process, upgraded patron accessible technologies, and brought the library up to date regarding their website, services and fees, and library policies.”

McDonnough has a master’s degree in library science from the University of South Carolina-Columbia in Columbia, S.C. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C. and an associates degree in information management from Community College of the Air Force at Maxwell AFB, Ala.

She has been a program technician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in Fort Smith since April. She served as branch manager for Society Hill Library in Society Hill, S.C. from March 2012 to December 2022. She was the adult services librarian for the Darlington County Library System in Darlington, S.C. from May 2004 to March 2012. Prior to that she worked as a public school teacher.

“I truly enjoyed challenging my staff to think outside the box. My management style encourages collaboration and independent thinking in those who work for me. My goal is to ensure that my staff provides excellent customer service to our library patrons,” McDonnough said in her application. “As the branch manager, I supervised five people. Their diverse backgrounds were very beneficial to those in my community as they were able to provide a variety of services and activities.”

PROCESS CHANGE
The board voted at its regular meeting Sept. 19 to seek two positions in order to lower the requirement of master’s degree in library science in hopes of getting qualified applicants for the position, which has been open since late February when the former library system director Diedre Grzymala resigned amid pressure from Hamby. Eva White has served as the interim director since Feb. 24. White was the library director for Crawford County from 1999 to 2012 and then again from 2013 to January 2021.

Prior to that meeting, the board had two applicants, Morrison and Madison Swaim, who both had a master’s degree in library science.

The job description posted on Salary.com and other websites in May states that the Crawford County Library System “is looking for a highly experienced and motivated administrator who can direct a broad range of public library functions.” The qualifications for the position state that a master’s degree in library science from an ALA accredited college or university is required and five years of progressively responsible library admin experience including at least three years in a supervisory capacity is preferred. Experience in a multi-library system is also preferred, the job posting stated. Special requirements included basic computer skills and willingness to speak to media, government officials and public groups.

In a further description of the job on the site it said that required education included a master’s degree and required experience included five years of management and five years of library service.

The board decided in September that the executive director would need to have library administration experience, preferably with a library system that had multiple libraries. The candidate also needs to be computer savvy and familiar with library software, the board said. The mentor position will be a temporary, part-time position for up to two years, they said.

Since the new requirements were posted, four more applied for the position – Mark Rutledge, Matt Fortino, Charlene McDonnough and Kelly Davis. Fortino also has an MLS.

CONTROVERSY HISTORY
The search for a new director was needed after Gryzmala resigned with a $40,687.50 severance deal Feb. 21. The controversy began in November 2022 when Hamby and her husband Dr. Jeffrey Hamby, a Van Buren family physician, spearheaded a campaign against LBGQT+ books being available through the library system, and then Library Director Diedre Grzymala’s book display of LBGQT+ children’s books set up at the Van Buren Public Library.

Hamby was appointed to the Crawford County Library Board by Keith and named the board chair after Jamie Balkman, former chair, and two other board members resigned after a contentious Quorum Court meeting in December.

On June 2, several Arkansas libraries and library associations filed a lawsuit in the Fayetteville Division of the Western District Court of Arkansas against Crawford County officials and state prosecuting attorneys to overturn Act 372. The Act is primarily a measure allowing books in public libraries to be banned or relocated. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks granted a preliminary injunction July 29 against Act 689 implementation, which was set to go into effect Aug. 1.

The June 2 lawsuit was the second to be filed attempting to block libraries from censoring books. Attorney Brian Meadors filed a federal complaint May 30 against book censorship actions by the Crawford County Public Library. The Crawford County Library has in recent months approved the removal and relocation of books largely because of objections from citizens to LGBTQ content.

Crawford County has spent and/or budgeted more around $245,000 on legal bills related to the actions by Hamby and others to censor or relocate books.