Editor,

In August 2022, patron David B. offered to provide a one-year trial subscription to The Epoch Times to the MPL. Director Rosenblum countered by requiring a commitment of several year’s subscriptions (costing hundreds of dollars) up front. David B. declined.

In Nov. 2022, My Statement of Concern requesting that The Epoch Times and The American Rifleman be added to the collection was acknowledged. Copies of the issues were not provided to the board as was done several months later concerning an unrelated statement. During the Dec. 2022 meeting, inaccurate, all negative data about the two publications was presented to the board. The State Library Trustee Handbook states that Directors are to provide accurate information to trustees. The board, who are tasked with representing patrons in the library, failed to question the accuracy of the data. In the moments immediately before voting to or not purchase the subscriptions, one trustee asked what The Epoch Times was. I was not allowed to correct factually incorrect data concerning The American Rifleman immediately before the vote. The board voted not to purchase the subscriptions. Based on action and inaction by Director Rosenblum, MPL staff, and board members at the time, Gaffney, Lowrance, Lyons, Pink, Morrison, Lindholm and Beek, the vote is corrupt.

In Feb. 2023, seeking compromise, a generous patron offered to match the stipulation demanded by Rosenblum of David B. Another generous patron offered to provide many years’ worth of subscriptions to the unique 100-year-old American Rifleman. These offers of compromise were made and rejected months before Pres. Gaffney publicly sought “middle ground.”

In April 2023, in retaliation to patrons’ protestations, MPL wrote a new policy that prohibits consideration of the two titles until April 2028. Additionally, the new policy facilitates exclusion of Statements of Concern from agendas which conveniently hides legitimate concerns from the public.

Patron representatives, aka TRUSTees, are complicit in the weaponization of policy.

Since 2023, 3 trustees have resigned and S. Bennett, L. Husak, and E. Hall have been appointed replacements by Mayor Greer. The Handbook recommends that a cross section of the community is represented on the board. Where is blue collar representation?

MPL administration, with support from patrons, has prohibited expansion of pertinent, timely and popular material while other patrons have, by civil means, lobbied 32 months for legitimate patron access to the material.