Deborah Williams is shown reading to children at the Sugar Creek branch of the Hancock County Public Library. More than a dozen people attended the Hancock County Public Library’s board meeting Dec. 12 in support of Williams, who recently resigned after working more than 18 years as a children’s librarian at the Sugar Creek branch in New Palestine.
GREENFIELD — More than a dozen people attended the Hancock County Public Library’s board meeting Dec. 12 in support of Deborah Williams, who recently resigned after working more than 18 years as a children’s librarian at the Sugar Creek branch in New Palestine.
In keeping with board policy, five people were allowed three minutes each to voice their concerns at the meeting.
All of those who spoke questioned the administration’s handling of Williams’ departure, which they referred to as a forced resignation.
Before the remonstrators spoke, board president Libby Manship addressed the issue at the start of the meeting.
“I very much appreciate the public comments and concerns,” she said.
Manship said the board’s job is to oversee the library’s executive director Dave Gray, not individual staff members, but that in light of public inquiries the board did discuss Williams’ Nov. 10 departure after last month’s board meeting.
Manship went on to say she still feels strongly that it’s not appropriate for board members to comment publicly on personnel matters, and asked fellow board members if they agreed.
Several board members shared that same sentiment at Tuesday’s meeting, saying it’s common practice for members of any board to refrain from public comment on personnel matters. Board vice president Fred Fox shared that any board he’s ever served on has held that same policy.
“We’re not micromanaging personnel issues, and every board that I’ve been affiliated with, personnel issues are never a part of that public meeting,” he said while voicing support for Gray.
“Our director has always acted with integrity and has brought to the board things we need to know about personal issues,” he said.
After a brief discussion, the board unanimously voted to pass a new policy making it the board’s official stance not to publicly discuss personnel matters moving forward.
The public was then invited to speak.
Diana Boss shared that she’s lived in New Palestine for 35 years, is on the Friends of the Library board and worked on the Sugar Creek library staff from 2013-2018 under Williams.
She questioned why a staff member as experienced and beloved as Williams would be let go without explanation.
“So many children have been touched by Deborah’s expertise in selecting the right books to encourage their reading journey. Our community has suffered a huge blow by losing the primary person who dedicated her life to the Sugar Creek library and the children patrons,” she said.
“Deborah was the constant who helped train other employees in best practices in literacy,” she continued.
“Librarians are hard to find. I’m sure it will be quite a feat to find a replacement with the depth of knowledge of literature as Deborah.”
Boss also stated that “because of the actions of the administration, families have been denied access to the person that totally welcomed children and parents. Book selection was done by Deborah for both libraries. She selected books with a variety of cultural themes and she shared those books with children that launched them into a lifetime love of reading.”
Boss’ husband, Carl Boss, followed up with similar sentiments.
He shared that he too has served on a number of boards, and understands not discussing personal matters publicly, but he encouraged the library board to investigate the reasoning for Williams’ departure.
“You should never discuss personnel issues in this form, but there is something that doesn’t seem quite right, and you cannot resolve yourself from the oversight of a person that is your subordinate,” he said.
“As much faith and trust as you have in that person, it is still incumbent on you when there is something that is in doubt to say why has this happened — what measures were taken, what remediation was offered, what could have been done differently — and to my knowledge that didn’t happen.”
Williams’ husband, Zeke Williams, then spoke on behalf of his wife, who was youth services manager at the Sugar Creek branch.
“I’m here tonight to voice my concern about the future of the Hancock library. Due to my wife being forced to resign, there has been a dark cloud over the Hancock community and over the New Palestine community as well. I come here not just on behalf of her, but on behalf of the others who are affected by this unmonitored decision of the administration,” he said.
“By allowing this to continue, you are pushing out passionate and talented employees who absolutely love what they are doing, and who are creating a positive impact on the community.”
Longtime Sugar Creek library patron Amy Brown then shared her thoughts on how Williams had impacted her four children’s love of reading.
“The forced resignation of Deborah Williams left a gaping hole in the department. Programs have already begun to suffer,” Brown said. “It is important to me and many others as the board understands the negative consequences this decision already has and will continue to have. Our families are being underserved. With one less librarian on staff, this would have been the case no matter what, but when you remove an exemplary employee of over 18 years like Deborah, the community loses her expertise, her skills, her leadership and (her) careful and conscientious book choices. It is my hope that the library takes these concerns seriously and actually engages in honest and transparent dialogue.”
