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Monday, June 26, 2006
We deserve answers from library board
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What do the dates May 10, 1933 and June 12, 2006 have in common? They are both poignant dates for those who love books and democracy.
On May 10, 1933, the Nazis began their infamous ‘book burnings’ and set ablaze over 25,000 library books by Jewish intellectuals and other authors who threatened their misguided Aryan beliefs.
On June 12, 2006, the Gwinnett County library board decided to reduce to ashes the career of Jo Ann Pinder, Gwinnett County public library executive director, because her confidence and vision threatened the close-minded, meddling and misguided Gwinnett County library board.
Pinder had the leadership ability and management acumen to successfully lead the public library for 15 years that enabled it to achieve national honor and recognition as Library of the Year in 2000.
She and the public deserve to know why she was fired earlier this month “without cause.”
If there are documented reasons for Pinder’s dismissal based on her job performance, then the library board should share that with her and the public.
Otherwise, it simply looks like petty politics and personal vendettas being played out at taxpayers’ expense, since the library board is obligated pay Pinder a year’s salary - $127,000 – in severance pay.
Brett Taylor, who was appointed in January 2006 to the library board by District 1 Commissioner Lorraine Green, was the only library board member who voted to retain Pinder.
In a letter addressed to Gwinnett County citizens that the AJC Gwinnett News ran online on June 5, Taylor said the effort to fire Pinder was ignited by personal issues that Phyllis Oxendine had with Pinder.
Oxendine was appointed to the library board by county commission chair Charles Bannister in January 2005 and at one time also worked for the library system.
Taylor also stated in his letter that he believes Oxendine plans to fire several people and eliminate positions from the library executive staff. If this is so, then Pinder’s firing may be just the tip of the iceberg.
If library executive staff is dismantled, it’s possible that Pinder’s work to build an award-winning library will be undone. And if those staffers have employment contracts similar to Pinder’s, the county may also have to give several other library staff fired ‘without cause’ their severance pay.
Following Pinder’s dismissal the library board cut $3000 from its $22 million 2007 budget that was intended to purchase books for its popular Spanish-language fiction collection.
The board’s decision hinted of racism towards the library’s fast-growing Latino community and also appeared to be an assault on Pinder’s efforts to increase Spanish-language offerings.
After an outcry from the public, library board Chairman Lloyd Breck told the AJC Gwinnett News that the board will vote unanimously in a special session on Wednesday to restore funding for Spanish-language books.
The move may be a sign that the library board has moved away from its bullying and tyrannical maneuvers. Let’s hope so.
I encourage the public to continue to pressure the library board until it explains why Pinder was dismissed. They should also demand that those who appointed the board - the county commissioners - break their long silence about her dismissal.
We must remember that the library board serves at the pleasure of the commissioners and that the commissioners serve at the pleasure of the Gwinnett county electorate - which is us!
Have you contacted your commissioner about the library board’s shenanigans?
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