Attorney: New Crawford County Library leadership could change lawsuit outcome

Attorney Brian Meadors said that in light of the new Crawford County Library leadership on the board there “may be” room for negotiation on the lawsuit he filed against the library system in May 2023 after certain books were moved to a “social section” in the main library.

The library board on Tuesday (Jan. 9) approved the hiring of Charlene McDonnough as director and elected Keith Pigg as board chairman, replacing Tammi Hamby in the leadership post. Hamby was primarily responsible for book relocation and censorship efforts that resulted in more than $260,000 in legal fees paid by Crawford County. That amount is expected to rise.

Meadors filed the federal complaint following book censorship actions by the Crawford County Public Library. Under Hamby’s guidance, library workers removed and relocate books largely because of objections from citizens to LGBTQ content.

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 Crawford County Judge Chris 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.

Gryzmala would eventually resign Feb. 21 with a $40,687.50 severance deal. Eva White was appointed interim director during a special called meeting Feb. 24.

Meadors said Thursday (Jan. 11) that in light of the new leadership on the board there “may be” room for negotiation on the lawsuit.

“All we want is the relief asked for in the second amended filing,” Meadors said.

That relief basically is for things in the library to go back to the way they were in June 2022, which would mean that children’s books moved to the “social section” in the Crawford County libraries because of LGBTQ content would be returned to the children’s section.

“In other words, please stop restricting and censoring books because you don’t like the content,” Meadors said in the original letter to attempt to avoid legislation sent to Crawford County Judge Chris Keith and members of the Crawford County Quorum Court on May 18.

The lawsuit contends that the library made a “series of actions intended to, and resulting in, the stigmatization of certain books by placing a prominent color label on them and moving the books to a separate ‘social section.’”

“The county has paid 10s and 10s and 10s of thousands of dollars to attorneys so that they can keep certain books a few don’t like in a secret corner of the library,” Meadors told Talk Business & Politics. “I told them at the start that I would like to be able to come to an agreement so the lawyers were not the only winners.”

MCDONNOUGH START, SALARY
McDonnough will take over the duties as new library system executive director Feb. 5. She met with acting director White Thursday (Jan. 11) to discuss the offer for employment. McDonnough accepted the position, but White will need to conduct background checks and other formalities before she is officially hired, White said Thursday.

McDonnough was offered a salary of $61,058.40 per year plus benefits, White said. That salary was approved in the budget for the director’s salary for 2024.

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 will still be here in the advisor’s position for a few more months, but I will be helping Charlene on a part-time basis. I hope that the citizens of Crawford County will welcome her to our library system and support her like they have always supported me,” White said.

The library board said Tuesday it will look at White’s advisor position after 90 days and evaluate whether it is needed for any additional time.

White was the library director for Crawford County from 1999 to 2012 and then again from 2013 to January 2021. She said she retired during the COVID pandemic at a time when she was experiencing knee problems.