Regarding adding two members to the Anderson County Library Board

Mona Fleming

Anderson County Council Meeting, Anderson SC — March 5, 2024

Good evening! I’m Mona Fleming, a resident of County Council District 4. Before you vote tonight on adding two library board members, I want to highlight these things.

Anderson County Library is a PUBLIC library, meaning it is for each and every member of our county. Should you approve adding two Library Board members, those members should reflect the diversity of our community and have the ability to understand budgets, personnel, and operational needs.

Library Boards should be nonpartisan. Board members must understand intellectual freedom as provided by the First Amendment while ensuring the books on the shelves reflect the many facets of life in our world and our diverse citizenry. Our public libraries must strive to broaden knowledge through reading and library events.

If you can ensure these things, then add two more members. However, if the motive behind this is to allow political parties and special interest groups to open their playbooks in our public library, then you must vote no!