Funding restriction placed on Carroll County Public Library
Commissioners seek to reinstate Sunday hours, adult late book fees
Updated: 5:10 PM EDT May 16, 2024
Some Carroll County residents are upset about a restriction placed on additional funds allocated to the public library system.Neal Goldberg leads a Carroll County grassroots group focused on holding elected leaders accountable over a decision that came down at Tuesday’s budget work session. Thursday is the final day of budget deliberations in Carroll County.”Our fear is if they’re not satisfied or if they want to find an excuse not to give them that money by July 1, they don’t have to,” Goldberg told 11 News.The Board of Carroll County Commissioners issued a motion to restrict $169,000 in additional one-time funds from the Carroll County Public Library if adult fines are not reinstated and an evaluation of Sunday hours is not performed. The funding represents money that was added back after making budget cuts across the board.Kenny Kiler, president of the Board of Carroll County Commissioners, said he has been meeting with library leadership since the fall to discuss many issues, these among them.Carroll County Public Library Executive Director Andrea Berstler told 11 News in a statement:”We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the community members who took the initiative to write letters and voice support for Carroll County Public Library (CCPL). Your stories demonstrate the importance of our work and highlight the valuable contributions of our staff, which make Carroll a great place to live. “We thank our county commissioners, who have demonstrated their understanding of the vital role library services provide to our county. The leadership of our board and the expertise of our staff, combined with our many partnerships, including Carroll County Public Schools and county government, provides the foundation on which we have built one of the best library systems in Maryland. “In the best interest of Carroll County, the CCPL board and staff are committed to seeking opportunities to work collaboratively with the county to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for library services.”While some community members believe the restriction is in response to the Freedom to Read Act, a law that bans book censorship in libraries that receive state funding, Kiler said that’s not the case.”That was months ago. A lot of the things have been solved, and in my last email, I even said, everybody keeps bringing up Freedom to Read. Let’s make that history. The bill passed. Whichever side you’re on, it passed. We can’t control that,” said Kiler, R-District 2.No decisions are final until the budget is adopted on May 21 and takes effect on July 1.The library system will hold a board meeting next week to discuss the restriction.
Some Carroll County residents are upset about a restriction placed on additional funds allocated to the public library system.
Neal Goldberg leads a Carroll County grassroots group focused on holding elected leaders accountable over a decision that came down at Tuesday’s budget work session. Thursday is the final day of budget deliberations in Carroll County.
“Our fear is if they’re not satisfied or if they want to find an excuse not to give them that money by July 1, they don’t have to,” Goldberg told 11 News.
The Board of Carroll County Commissioners issued a motion to restrict $169,000 in additional one-time funds from the Carroll County Public Library if adult fines are not reinstated and an evaluation of Sunday hours is not performed. The funding represents money that was added back after making budget cuts across the board.
Kenny Kiler, president of the Board of Carroll County Commissioners, said he has been meeting with library leadership since the fall to discuss many issues, these among them.
Carroll County Public Library Executive Director Andrea Berstler told 11 News in a statement:
“We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the community members who took the initiative to write letters and voice support for Carroll County Public Library (CCPL). Your stories demonstrate the importance of our work and highlight the valuable contributions of our staff, which make Carroll a great place to live.
“We thank our county commissioners, who have demonstrated their understanding of the vital role library services provide to our county. The leadership of our board and the expertise of our staff, combined with our many partnerships, including Carroll County Public Schools and county government, provides the foundation on which we have built one of the best library systems in Maryland.
“In the best interest of Carroll County, the CCPL board and staff are committed to seeking opportunities to work collaboratively with the county to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for library services.”
While some community members believe the restriction is in response to the Freedom to Read Act, a law that bans book censorship in libraries that receive state funding, Kiler said that’s not the case.
“That was months ago. A lot of the things have been solved, and in my last email, I even said, everybody keeps bringing up Freedom to Read. Let’s make that history. The bill passed. Whichever side you’re on, it passed. We can’t control that,” said Kiler, R-District 2.
No decisions are final until the budget is adopted on May 21 and takes effect on July 1.
The library system will hold a board meeting next week to discuss the restriction.
