Letter to the Editor:

 

I was shocked to read Ron Erdman’s recent letter in the Report, in which he impugns the integrity of library board member Greg Cryns. Criticizing Cryns, Erdman suggests that the Nippersink Library Board is need of members who won’t seek to “promote their right or left wing political/religious (or non-religious) beliefs.”  With that stance, I can only presume Erdman must be staunchly opposed to those board members (not Cryns!) who recently voted to abandon the library’s longstanding adherence to American Library Association’s guidelines, choosing to instead have no policy standards at all. This bizarre move was supported with the allegation that the American Library Association is “too liberal” for certain board members’ taste.   I do declare, I believe somebody’s politics are showing!

This is the board that recently made an attempted foray into the wonders of censorship, seeking to  eliminate from the collection videos that individual board members decide are “inappropriate.”  I, for one, was amazed when a faction of the board recently sought to remove a video that addressed the dangers posed by pedaphiles who masquerade as upstanding community members.  I refer here to the video, “Happiness,” referenced in Erdman’s letter. Personally, I watched the movie and was utterly perplexed by the declaration of certain board members -- who hadn’t actually watched the video -- that it was “pornographic” and needed to be removed from the collection.      

Lest anyone forget, this is also the board with a faction that last year crusaded to toss out our much-loved library director, Kathryn Hausman. It was only the outrage of the community that put an end to their antics, and allowed Ms. Hausman to continue overseeing the management of our library with professionalism and dignity. 

I am pleased to see that the slate of candidates for the library board includes those who have demonstrated experience. Among the outstandingly qualified candidates running in this important election are Greg Cryns (8 years of service on the board); Adrienne Adams (14 years of prior service on the board); and Theresa Sue Rekenthaler (12 years of prior service on the board).  Unlike certain sitting members, these experienced candidates understand and respect the importance of preserving the ideals of the public library system. In addition, the ticket this year includes faces that hold great promise, including Yvonne Cryns (a 20 year resident of the community who has consistently shown a commitment to community affairs) and David Ramsland (the man who spearheaded the effort to thwart the board’s misguided attempts to remove Library Director Kathryn Hausman last year). 

As Pastor Terry Dufur (Grace Lutheran Church) observed in his March 7, 2005 open letter to the library board, this board has “crossed the boundary of responsible community service.” Like Pastor Dufur, I too am tired of a board that disrespects -- through its official actions -- those residents whose faith or politics differ from the faith or politics of certain board members. It’s clearly time for a change on the Nippersink District Library Board. 

 

 

Nicola Nelson

10113 Charles St.

Richmond, IL 60071

(815) 382-1696