This is one for the books — literally.
Following a series of discussions, Jackson County Board of Commissioners voted to withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library system last week, which in turn has led to much speculation and concern.
The primary catalyst that led to the decision to pull away from the system stems from public complaints regarding the placement of controversial books in the kids and teens section, Kevin King, Jackson County manager, said.
Following this decision, libraries in Jackson County will remain in the Fontana System for the next year, before fully transitioning away. As part of this transition, Jackson County will enter a demonstration year, during which it will work with the state library system to ensure a smooth exit.
“Through this process, we’re going to be learning a lot more and getting a lot more depth in that process,” King said.
The demonstration year will involve establishing benchmarks and maintaining the level of services currently offered. King said the county also plans to engage a third-party consultant to assist in the process to ensure the transition is handled effectively and that the needs of the community are met.
“We’re making sure that the services that are currently being offered by FRL are the same or better than what it is now,” he said. “That would be what we would be looking at. Making sure that we maintain the certain same level of services that are currently being offered to the residents and then hopefully increasing those services would be a benefit.”
Currently, Jackson County allocated $1.516 million to library services. King said he hopes the county can maintain the budget and improve services. The county will review staffing levels to ensure efficiency, but there is a commitment to not reduce programming.
King said the county aims to maintain the current level of services while expanding them to better serve the community. This includes ensuring that library employees can receive county benefits, which could improve job satisfaction.
Serenity Richards, branch librarian for the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library, said the decision is disappointing and leads to uncertainty for the staff, which she said will now face a new application process to maintain employment after the transition is complete.
“I am, of course, disappointed in the decision, but there is a year and Fontana is going to work diligently with the county commissioners,” she said. “My main concern is for my community. I want my community to be served as best as possible and I hope that no matter which way this goes, we are able to maintain services.”
Richards said she has heard concerns from her patrons about a potential overshadowing of the library in Cashiers, with fears that the focus will primarily gravitate toward Sylva, which in turn could lead to diminished resources and programming at the library. However, she reiterated that it is a decision that will be entirely on Jackson County.
“I have heard that concern from patrons and how the county approaches funding and services. I believe that will impact that perception that the Cashiers community has,” she said.
As the library transitions away from the Fontana Regional System, there are opportunities and challenges on the horizon, but Richards said the transition is expected to be complex and potentially bumpy.
“The challenge is, of course, transitioning. Migrating any major operation into something different is always a challenge and it’s going to be a bumpy ride, I am sure,” she said. “There’s just a lot of unknowns right now.”
During the transition, Richards said community support will be integral to the library. Residents need to communicate their needs and preferences to ensure that the future vision of the library aligns with community expectations.
She said the top priority will always remain to be maintaining access to materials and services while also serving patrons and ensuring that their voices are heard in shaping the future of library services.
“The opportunity is always there to serve the community and finding new ways to serve it. That’s always going to be the library’s primary goal,” she said.
