MOUNT JEWETT — The Mount Jewett Memorial Library director resigned during the board meeting held last Wednesday.
Library Director Kelly Hughes Barr, who was hired in late 2021, resigned with a two-page notice that ended stating, “… A library director is hired to run the day-to-day operations of the library. This board for the most part, wishes to micromanage every aspect of the position while punting decisions indefinitely. As such it doesn’t seem the library needs a director since the board wants to have ownership of everything. We have never been on the same page as to what this library should be, I have not heard suggestions, just negativity, and so I shall leave you all to it since you know what is best for the library and I am not it. 709 days for my tenure here, thank you and do note you have 13 activities and programs set for the remainder of this month that you will need to find and figure out what to do about.”
A major issue the director cited in regard to the board was how they felt about their community. In her resignation letter, Hughes Barr explained how the library is a place for all to enjoy but that she felt the board was not on the same page.
“Hosting events for all patrons, activities for all walks of life and bringing some sort of summer lunch program to libraries have been the focuses and goals of libraries across the country for over 10 years, some even longer,” her letter stated.
According to the State Library of Pennsylvania handbook for library board members, “In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a library board has an important first step: to develop a written statement to differentiate the function of the library board and that of the library director/staff … Bylaws must be clearly written to avoid misinterpretation and confusion …,” and the board is responsible for creating the budget. Board members number from five to seven and have terms of office and term limits. Board members can be appointed to serve for either two- or three-year terms with a maximum of seven consecutive years, according to the handbook.
The board also acts as an employer and is responsible for hiring, evaluating, encouraging and supporting their single employee: the library director. According to the handbook, the board’s purpose is to “guide the library to accomplish amazing things,” while the director’s purpose is to “support the board’s vision by aligning daily activities with it.”
Hughes Barr continued, “We do not require people to donate in order to participate, as libraries can provide such offerings to all financial statuses, as we are one of the few places in the world where someone can walk in, enjoy and not feel obligated to buy or spend for anything. Yet, even with plenty of funding and support to maintain a busy schedule for our public, I have heard mention of board members speaking about patrons who ‘will never donate to the library’ but ‘attend our activities.’”
She said that it hurt her heart that the board members would say something like this.
“I have fought the library for so many different ways to provide some sort of lunch to our children and yet got pushback, even down to ‘food has no business being in the library.’ We are not your grandmother’s library, sadly parts of this library have not evolved from a sssshhh library. Which shows me that many here have not stepped into any library in a long time,” her letter stated.
According to a board member who did not want to be identified, “There is conflict, and everyone has a personal outlook on the matter. However, the library is not closing; the board members are running the library at the moment.”
Melissa McGuire, a member of the library board, furnished the following statement via email over the weekend, “I believe the entire MJML Board appreciates Kelly Barr Hughes’ dedicated service to the library and the community. Kelly voluntarily and unexpectedly resigned her position as library director during a board meeting Wednesday night. The library board has and will continue to work very hard to support the library and this community while upholding our financial, ethical and legal responsibilities. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and for the support of our community in continuing our efforts.” McGuire added that any further comment would be inappropriate.
The Era has reached out for additional information concerning the matter but received no further response from the board.
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services:
