ALPENA — A majority of the Alpena County Library board issued a joint statement late Wednesday expressing disappointment in the Alpena County Board of Commissioners’ Tuesday decision to oust the entire library board over its handling of controversial books.

“Despite our efforts and the community’s engagement, the result was not what we had hoped for,” the statement reads. “The Board of Trustees takes the community’s concerns seriously and is dedicated to addressing them with utmost care. We continue to seek legal guidance to ensure that all library policies and protocols are in full compliance with current regulations and best practices, ensuring transparency and accountability in our operations.”

The statement was signed by library board President Joseph Garber, Secretary Michelle Cornish, Treasurer Quintin Meek, and Trustee Lauren Mantlo. Board Vice President Dustin Budd’s name does not appear on the statement.

For as long as two years, many county residents have pushed the library board to move or remove a handful of books in the children’s and teens’ sections of the library that those residents viewed as overly sexual and inappropriate for young readers. Some residents called on voters to reject a proposed renewal of the property tax that funds library operations unless the library moved the books.

Other residents in the community have defended the books as tools to help parents talk to kids about difficult subjects and as perhaps the only way some kids might learn about safe sex practices. Many residents pushed passage of the property tax because of the many services the library provides.

Library officials have said they follow national library standards when placing books and said library leadership had begun reviewing the library’s policies for book challenges from the public.

Citing concern over the library’s inaction, the county board voted six-to-one Tuesday to begin a two- to three-month process of removing all of the library board members, interviewing applicants to the board, and appointing a new board.

Commissioner John Kozlowski voted against replacing the entire library board. Commissioner Bill Peterson left the meeting before the vote to take care of personal business.

“I don’t think the library board has taken the people of Alpena County seriously,” Commissioner Brenda Fournier said Tuesday. “I believe they will continue to do what they want to do, regardless of what anybody says. I don’t have a problem with starting over with an entire new board.”

“We have all seen the books and I 100% don’t agree with the library that they are educational books and they should be located in the children’s and teen section,” Kozlowski said Tuesday. “But I just don’t know if the best action is to eliminate the entire board. I feel, by doing so, we may open up the door to other groups who may not agree with something and demand someone or something else be eliminated. Have they taken this issue as seriously as they should have? No. But I don’t think eliminating the whole board is necessarily the right answer, either.”

Much of the library board’s Wednesday statement is dedicated to encouraging passage of the proposed tax renewal, which appears on the Aug. 6 ballot.

Read the entire statement from the majority of the Alpena County Library board below.

Press Release 7.24.2024 2 by JustinHinkley on Scribd