Debra Greenacre

ALPENA — The Alpena County Library director has resigned, just more than a year after taking the helm and amid turmoil over controversial books on the library’s shelves.

Library board President Joe Garber on Thursday confirmed Director Debra Greenacre’s resignation and said her last day is July 23. The library board meets next at 5 p.m. July 22 and will begin discussions on how to find a new director, Garber said.

Greenacre said in an email to The News on Thursday she is stepping down for several personal reasons, including to help take care of her father (who is under hospice care), because of her husband’s work, and to help her daughters in North Carolina and Germany with their children. She said she might stay in Germany for a while.

Greenacre “has done a great job for us,” Garber said. “I don’t want her to leave, but she’s gotta make the decision that’s right for her. I’ll leave it at that.”

The library and its board have for months been embroiled in controversy over a handful of books in the children’s and teens’ sections of the library that some residents deem overly sexual and others deem important tools for talking to young people about sex.

Commissioners on the county board, which appoints library board members, have called the books obscene and have pushed the library board to move the books to adult sections of the library or place them behind the counter so only adults can check them out. The county board has discussed removing library board members if they don’t comply.

The library on Aug. 6 will ask voters to renew the property tax that funds library operations and maintenance. Some residents have called on the community to vote down the tax unless the library does something about the controversial books. Others have urged support for the tax because of the numerous programs the library offers the community.

Library officials have said the library would have to severely curtail programs and could close if the tax fails.

Garber conceded Thursday the controversy could turn away some potential applicants for the director post.

“I’m hoping it doesn’t, but we have to be realistic and say it might or it’s a strong possibility,” Garber said. “We’re still trying to work through a lot of that stuff. It’s not as cut-and-dry as it seems, sometimes, with these books. Trying to find a solution that seems reasonable and meets the needs of the entire community has been challenging for us. Doesn’t mean we’re going to stop trying. It just — it takes time.

“We’re trying not to be political,” Garber added. “We’re trying to provide a good library for the community that meets everybody’s needs.”

The library board on July 22 is expected to discuss whether the board wants to conduct a search itself or hire a consultant to seek out applicants for the director post.

The board also plans to discuss how the board will fill the role in the interim while the search is underway. The board could appoint an interim from among library staff or a search firm could find the library a temporary chief executive, Garber said.

Before the board hired Greenacre, Jessica Luther, the library’s assistant director, served as interim director. The library board used consultant Brian Mortimore, of Mortimore Consulting, to find Greenacre, and Garber said he’d recommend the board use a search firm again.

Whatever happens, Garber said, the search likely won’t begin in earnest until after the Aug. 6 election.

“I feel confident that the millage will pass, despite all the noise going on, but it’s hard to get candidates when there’s that uncertainty there,” Garber said.

The library announced Greenacre’s hire in May 2023 and she officially took over on June 15 that year. Greenacre was executive director of the Manistee County Library prior to moving to Alpena.

Greenacre came to Alpena with 20 years of experience as a librarian, 11 in a director capacity.

Justin A. Hinkley can be reached at 989-354-3112 or jhinkley@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinHinkley.