Frenemies of the Library: When Fundraising Folks Fight Community Voices
FoL Prez pumped up the Friends' mission to fundraise for the Library, but spilled the tea that they lobby to keep power from the people, not just resell donated books.
Friends of the Library Hate a Representative Government
Last November, the former president of the Friends of the Library (FoL) spoke at the Christian County Library (CCL) Board meeting on the 28th. He spoke about the good the FoL have accomplished and he pointed out in subtle remarks about the pressure the State’s Secretary of State, Jay Ashcroft, put on libraries to remove offensive material, like child porn in the collection.
The FoL operates as an independent non-profit that works with the Library. The volunteers take books which have been donated to the Library and they resell them. They use this money to benefit the patrons of the CCL.
The Library does not control the FoL’s board nor does it control their decision making, in theory. In practice though, the FoL lobbies for what the Library lobbies for and fights against the community. I recently wrote an article about how the Library lobbies against its community to game the tax system.
In Christian County, our County Commissioners have taken up their legal duties to appoint applicants to the Board. This has allowed us to place two common sense appointees to the board. The Library previously appointed their own board—men and women who did whatever was asked of them by the Library, including new raises and increases to budget. This past year, the Library’s budget increased by $500,000 to just a hair over $4,000,000. How many businesses in Christian County were able to increase their budget by this much and pay their managers $74,000 plus benefits? Plus, the Library doesn’t pay property taxes while your real estate property taxes tripled.
FoL Email
In their email, they urge the members of their non-profit to contact their representatives in the house to kill this bill before it leaves committee. They make a claim that this bill will cost the Library $20,000 a year.
However, if you look at the Library budget of $4M, it is easy to find places where the Library can trim the fat. Here are a few ideas.
Perhaps they could so in salaries?
Or they could buy fewer books with pictures of children being molested?
Maybe they could stop giving out so many Nintendo Switches during the summer?
Or they could stop paying for multiple lawyers when they should consult the County’s lawyer instead?
Or they could pay for less trips to Jefferson City to lobby against the best interests of Senior Citizens and the poor in our community by trying to kill bills which lower taxes?
Or perhaps, the FoL could just raise the money for them. They claimed they raised $20,000 last year at the Nov. meeting. They can foot the bill so the staff can still get a raise this year.
Further, the FoL email argues, “This bill will also give the now-elected Board of Trustees the power to approve or reject all library employees, programs, activities, and volunteers.” Oh no, the humanity! Run for the hills!
Voters will have the power to elect Board members which will then govern the policies and hiring and firing of only the executive director (ED). As it stands, the ED is the only staff member which the Board can fire directly for violations of policy. Yet, when the ED appointed their own board, how often do you think the ED worried about being fired for violating community standards and beliefs? Or insubordination?
They are misrepresenting this bill. I wonder why they would lie about it? Perhaps they are just useful idiots for the Library?
Power Back to the People
Jamie Gragg, from the 140th District here in Christian County, has introduced a bill titled, HB 2648. I have linked it here so you can read it yourself. Unlike the other side, I will give you all the information. You can disagree with me, but I won’t hide information from you. Rep. Gragg’s bill will require Library Board Members to be elected, rather than appointed by the County Commissioners.
Rep. Gragg saw the problems in our county, exasperated by a Board who fought against its patrons and community to include radical books from the American Library Association’s Rainbow Reading list. I tried to link to it, but it appears the ALA is scrubbing it from their website, though they send copies out to every library who (like ours) subscribes to their views. The Rainbow Reading list is consistently full of Marxist, LGBT, Gender Ideology, and Christian-hating books.
While they purchased these books, they denied the purchase of books about Clarence Thomas and other conservative or Christian viewpoints. Rep. Gragg saw that the board wasn’t interested in feedback from the community (go to 36 minutes in to see the Board try to limit free speech and free expression), but were acting like tyrants threatening the free speech rights of the community.
For a fun video by right2winozarks of the Board limiting free speech, go here.
He also saw the board didn’t represent the community on their budget, their policies, or protecting children. So he introduced this bill which is now in committee. Please message him and Rep. Hannah Kelly so we can get it into the House for a vote.
No Taxation without Representation
Evidence of the FoL lobbying against the community’s interests.
I have included my notes from the Nov. meeting and the email from the FoL.
Below you will see all the comments I was able to capture from the November meeting. I have highlighted my commentary and included the videos link to his comments. I try not to misrepresent him as I type so to be fair to him, here are his comments in full.
Nov. Report
David-New President of the Friends of the Library Spoke. He shared his history and the purpose of the Friends of the Library who are bound together in the Library, and funds, and programs, and events.
Community Branch-2018
$8000 in sales for book sales
$10000 in book sales and card sales
$2000 from Thrift Books
2021-Low Membership
Pop UP-Sales seem to raise their funds, $5500
Administer Donations to Library
Grant Application was developed for the Library to request funds to be approved by the board.
Grave Stone Cleaning
New Child Shelving Area in Nixa
Loss of Maureen Meyers
Special Bookcase
Special Funds
2022
Grossing $8700 in Book Sales
Membership was growing
Celebrated FOL with membership drive
Signs and Concerts
Library Card Drive
Outreach in December to explain this issues
Cart Sales
Used books on a Cart
Friends of the Library control the funds
Why do they control the funds????
Staff Milestone Gift Cards
2023
Moving the Spring Book Sale to the Finley River Park
Raised $5000
Community events in Sparta and Clever
$6800 for Book Sales
Volunteer Fair in July in Ozark
FOL account in Spring of this year
Funding Opportunities
Kids
Families
Supplies
State Funding
$20000 given to the Library when the State threatened to take away money from the Library because of the porn in the library. This suggests there was controversy over certain books in the library's collection.
2024
Stepping Down as President
Newly elected president
Lonny Brandon
Layla
Take it to the next level
Thanking Renee and Nicholas
Wants us to focus on the good things and not the negative things our society has brought upon us. This may have been alluding to and subtly criticizing those community members who oppose the library's policies around controversial books.
They collect books year round from the community to sell??
Take donations to raise their money
Volunteers to raise these funds
Don’t give your books to the Friends of the Library
FoL Email to Lobby Against the Community’s Right to have a Representative Government
[I removed the email addresses from this email]
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Lonnie Brandon
Date: Mon, Feb 19, 2024 at 2:11 PM
Subject: Regarding Missouri House Bill 2498
Hello,
You are receiving this email because you are a member of the Christian County Friends of the Library.
One "purpose of this organization shall be to bind together all citizens and groups of citizens in Christian County interested in the development of the library..."
In keeping with that purpose, the Friends of the Library Board has drafted this letter for your consideration:
On Wednesday, February 21, 2024, the Missouri House or Representatives Government Efficiency and Downsizing Committee is scheduled to convene a pivotal hearing regarding House Bill 2498. This proposed legislation requires public libraries, authorized to levy taxes as per state statutes, to be overseen by an elected public library board. The financial burden of administering and running these elections will fall on the individual library districts. For a library district of our size, the estimated cost is $20,000. This translates into nearly 8,000 paid staff hours or 888 days dedicated to programs and services. The result of potentially decreased staffing and financial resources jeopardizes vital community initiatives, including outreach endeavors for seniors and homebound individuals.
This bill will also give the now-elected Board of Trustees the power to approve or reject all library employees, programs, activities, and volunteers.
As Friends of the Library, we urge you to join us in advocating against this legislation. Public libraries are essential to our communities, providing access to information and resources that are critical to people of all ages and backgrounds. We need to ensure that our libraries have the resources they need to continue to offer programs that enrich and support our community.
Please contact your respective state representatives and voice your dissent towards this legislation, emphasizing the indispensable role of our library programs in our community. Together, we can make our voices heard and ensure that our libraries continue to thrive.
Thank you for your time and continued support of Friends of the Library.
Sincerely,
The Friends of the Library Board
Lonnie Brandon, President
Layla Harding, Vice President
Dianne Richart, Secretary
Julia Taylor, Treasurer
Virginia Roberts, Volunteer/Membership Coordinator
Provided for your information:
Representative Jamie Gragg
Phone: 573-751-2565
Email: JamieRay.Gragg@house.mo.gov
Representative Bob Titus
Phone: 573-751-3833
Email: Bob.Titus@house.mo.gov
Representative Brad Hudson
Phone: 573-751-3851
Email: Brad.Hudson@house.mo.gov
Let’s call it what it is: anti-democratic.
Excellent article. Very informative.
Did they actually say this: “This bill will also give the now-elected Board of Trustees the power to approve or reject all library employees, programs, activities, and volunteers.”
Unbelievable. They are advocating that publicly elected officials not conduct the governance of the library, but leave it to unelected employees.
You can’t make this stuff up.