It is with great concern and a deepening sadness that I’ve been following the events of the ImagineIF Libraries as directed by the three-member majority of the five-member library board. Heidi Roedel, Doug Adams, and Dave Ingram seem to be intent on reshaping the progress that has made ImagineIF an award-winning, credentialled, highly successful community resource. The details of their actions and inactions could fill an entire page of the newspaper, instead I’ll point out two areas of concern – the hiring of a new director, and the progress of fundraising for the new Bigfork Library.
These three voted to lower the director’s job requirements to not require a Master’s in Library Science (MLS), or even a bachelor’s degree. This results in the loss of ImagineIF’s library credentials, and the subsequent loss of about $34,000 in annual state funding. Apparently, their reasoning was to lower requirements and cut the salary in order to be fiscally responsible. The result was that candidates with an MLS withdrew their applications, citing the high cost of living as well as the turmoil caused by the library board. I watched the Zoom interviews of the three candidates who did apply. Heidi, Doug and Dave voted to offer the job to Ashley Cummins, who expressed a strong desire to move to Montana. However, currently she works in an Alabama library with a full-time staff of two, including herself. Jumping into a position that requires her to supervise a staff of 28 will not likely be a win-win for anyone.
The Library Trustees need to revisit the job description, consider the advice of the Flathead Country Human Resources, the ImagineIF staff and Foundation, and reinstate a fair director salary, thus attracting qualified candidates, and continue the job search. The current lowered salary savings comes nowhere close to the loss of state funding, which will be compounded over time as the director salary is raised. Hiring a credentialed librarian is the fiscally responsible action.
The loss of ImagineIF’s credentials places a major obstacle for the completion of a highly successful capital campaign for an expanded Bigfork Library. So far, despite the pandemic, half of a $1.6 million dollar campaign has been raised. The instability of the library going forward, brought on by the three trustees who almost always vote as a block, now threatens the successful completion of this campaign. Why does this matter to folks who live outside of Bigfork? Because the success of the Bigfork library is the stepping-stone for the success of eventually having new libraries for Kalispell, Columbia Falls, and Marion. If Bigfork can’t succeed, there’s not much hope for the future of the other libraries, all of which are housed in rented properties. Each library is at the mercy of its landlord, jeopardizing long-term stability. Given the growth of the Flathead, there’s no security in what actions landlords may need to take with tenants.
County commissioners, please take note! Some of the library trustees that you’ve appointed are not acting in the best interest of the library; rather, they are undermining the growth and success of our beloved ImagineIF Libraries.
Jordonna Dores lives in Bigfork.