County commissioners reappoint St. Joseph County Library's preferred board member

SOUTH BEND — In a surprise and unscheduled vote Tuesday, the St. Joseph County Commissioners voted to reappoint Alan Feldbaum to a third four-year term to the board overseeing the St. Joseph County Public Library.

Feldman's term was to expire at the end of this month, and library leaders had become concerned Feldbaum would not be appointed again, because Commissioner Deb Fleming told him she received an email from County Council member Amy Drake accusing Feldbaum of not protecting children because he did not vote to remove controversial books from the young adults section of the library.

Library leaders had urged the public to show up to the meeting to support Feldbaum, and the commissioners announced they were taking applications, due Dec. 15, for the position.

But at the meeting, where dozens filled the council chambers for this issue, Commissioner Derek Dieter moved that Feldbaum's position be voted on today, and fellow Commissioner Deb Fleming, who first nominated Feldbaum eight years ago, seconded the motion. The pair outvoted Commissioner Carl Baxmeyer, who pointed to the need to complete the publicly announced process to fill the position.

Then the commissioners voted on Feldbaum's reappointment, and all three voted in favor.

The crowd in the meeting room applauded the vote.

Baxmeyer said that Feldbaum and at least three others had applied to seek the position.

Dieter's opinion was clear earlier in the meeting.

“It’s an overreach what council members are trying to do,” Dieter said after publicly asking library Director Stephanie Murphy a series of questions. “If you don’t want to read it, don’t look at it. This is America. You should be able to read what you want.”

Dieter said it isn’t the library board’s job to manage the logistical aspects of book placements.

When he asked, Murphy explained that it’s the job of the library staff with master’s degrees to select books and decide where they are to be placed, mostly based on the intended audience listed by the publisher.

The board doesn’t normally vote on particular books or their placement. It’s not in their core, state-required duties, Murphy said. The book that raised concerns this summer, “This Book Is Gay,” met with some public disagreement, and that’s what pushed it to the board. The board, she said, was asked if the book met library policies, and they voted that it did.

“Free people read freely,” Murphy said.

The commissioners allowed up to five people from the public to speak in favor and up to five, in Baxmeyer’s words, who “have a different opinion.”

Five spoke in favor while praising Feldbaum’s qualifications, including former director Deb Futa, along with Community Foundation of St. Joseph County President Rose Meissner, who said the foundation often partners with the library (it’s offices are inside of the downtown library complex).

Only one man, Joe Lane of North Liberty, spoke with a different opinion. He said no one asked for a book to be banned — just that it be moved to another section of the library.

He said he feels the library board responded to the book controversy this summer with a “monolithic” view. While one individual may not make a difference, he said, the library has a “lack of balance to represent policies.”

More notes on the library issue

∎ After the meeting, Feldbaum said that he’s proud to begin a third term. He said he feels good about the work of having overseen the library’s expansion at its downtown campus in recent years. Now, he said, he looks forward to using his and his fellow board members’ experience as the library evaluates where upgrades or changes might be needed at its nine branches.

Oct. 6, 2023: St. Joe County library seeks your word on future for nine branches

∎ Murphy estimated that the library system has half of a million books.

∎ Murphy said the state of Indiana outlines what is considered obscene in library materials. The library, she said, doesn’t have any such material.

∎ Murphy told commissioners of efforts in Arkansas and Texas to restrict libraries access to certain materials and how federal courts overturned them. She also mentioned a restrictive policy for screening library materials in Hamilton County, Indiana, that cost about $300,000 to implement. Indiana author John Green wrote a letter in opposition after one of his books was moved out of Hamilton County's teen section. After his letter went viral, Murphy said, library board members resigned, and the policy was abandoned.

∎ Meissner credited the library system as “among the best in the country” and “such a source of pride.” She also credited Feldbaum’s knowledge and integrity, adding, “He’s the kind of person I feel grateful he’s willing to serve.”

∎ Dieter thanked former library Director Don Napoli, who sat in the crowd, for “laying the groundwork” for the library’s excellence today. The audience applauded.

South Bend Tribune reporter Joseph Dits can be reached at 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Commissioners reappoint St. Joe County Library's preferred board member