Michigan library closes temporarily after majority of staff resigns

Matt Witkos and Kallista Cory write: “Patmos Library in Jamestown Township, Michigan, gained national attention for facing tension over books featuring LGBTQ+ topics. And it faced potential closure because of a lack of funding. It took three separate millage votes for funding to finally be renewed. Now the local community spot is closed” temporarily after five of eight staff members resigned last week. “The five shared with FOX 17 that they felt limited by the board in doing the jobs they were hired to do.” The majority of residents who attended the library’s board meeting May 12 expressed support for the staff.

WXMI-TV (Grand Rapids, Mich.), May 9, May 13; Holland (Mich.) Sentinel, Nov. 8, 2023

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Oguz Kayra writes: “An ancient marvel, unique in design and history, is being unearthed in the heart of southwest Türkiye. Archaeologists working in Stratonikeia, a vast ancient city located in Muğla Province and listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List, have uncovered significant portions of a rare Roman-era library, shedding light on the intellectual and architectural grandeur of the time. Nestled at the intersection of four major streets in the city center, the library was originally constructed during the Hellenistic period and later redesigned in the Roman era.”

Arkeonews, June 24
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Jessica K. Anderson and Yan Quan Liu write: “Public libraries are institutions that connect individuals with resources. However, not all patrons see themselves reflected in the selected books, and others struggle to discover relevant results in the catalog due to outdated or problematic search terms. Two emerging strategies to address these issues are diversity audits and critical cataloging. Although there is substantial literature on both individually, there is a noticeable lack of studies examining the relationship between the two. Our aim was to identify choices among libraries that have conducted collection audits to reveal patterns that can inform institutions with similar needs.”

Library Resources & Technical Services, July
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Angela Hursh writes: “Libraries have great stories to tell. But getting the media to listen isn’t always easy. Here are the top 10 practical tips that Leslie Marinelli, communications manager at Forsyth County (Ga.) Public Library; Ray Holley, communications manager at Sonoma County (Calif.) Library; and I shared [at a recent online panel] for getting your library into the news.”

Super Library Marketing, June 30
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Victoria Cox writes: “LaRue County (Ky.) Board of Education heard both criticism and praise last week when members were asked to remove 14 books from the high school library. Although the vote was split, the board ultimately refused to ban the books, citing the need to uphold the constitutional rights of students” by a 4–1 vote. Books the board considered include The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood; Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas, and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

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