Library Protest Had Mixed Results

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

On Monday, the Williamsburg Regional Library was the site of a peaceful protest against the removal of about 6,000 patrons’ abilities to check out library material.

The plan initially was for protesters to check out as many books as they could during “the Great Checkout Protest” to prove to the library what a big part of the system nonresidents are. Many gathered to share their story with patrons and check out their allotment of books while wearing red shirts with the slogan, “All We Are Saying is Give Fees a Chance.”

According to Library Director John Moorman, about 2,119 items total were checked out Monday from the Williamsburg branch where the protest took place. On the same date last year, the library was closed due to snow, but on the day previous – January 29, 2010 – 2,668 items were checked out.

Though they didn’t make as much of a numerical impact as they had intended, the group did get media coverage and they got a chance to share their thoughts on the library’s decision with other library patrons.

WYDaily spoke to one of the protest organizers, Charles City County resident Justin Moore, on Tuesday to get his thoughts on how the day went.

“I don’t realistically think this changed the mind of the library board,” he said, “but our aim wasn’t necessarily to suddenly have them give us access.

“We wanted it to be a visual demonstration of the people who are being affected… and show the impact this will have on people who might not live here, but often work here.”

Moore and other protesters had a chance to speak to lots of library visitors, many of whom didn’t know about the new rules. “It helped raise the profile of the issue and keep locals aware of it,” he said.

“They are the ones who have a more directive voice in local government and the future makeup of the library board. If they’re sympathetic, they can continue to put pressure on the board and the governments.”

Moore has used the library off and on for 13 years, first as a William and Mary student and Williamsburg resident, and then again recently when he moved back to the area with his wife.

He feels that the library could have done much more to inform patrons of the change, and to have reached out to nonresidents to explain the situation and the possible scenarios. “From a PR point of view, this has been handled disastrously badly,” Moore says.

He and many other residents about to lose their privileges sent emails to try to find out why the library wouldn’t consider offering library cards to nonresidents for a fee, but they got incomplete and often repetitive responses.

Regarding user fees, Moorman told WYDaily in a previous interview that “Our policy is that [use of the library] is an essential government service, and is paid for by the government.” It is the library’s “strong feeling,” according to Moorman, that the service can’t be paid for by other means such as a user fee.

Moorman told WYDaily Monday that the protesters were very orderly and not disruptive. “I welcomed [the protest],” he said. “They were people expressing their viewpoints, and it was well within their right to do so. They were very peaceful.”

When asked if the protest might bring about a change of library policy, “I don’t foresee any change coming in the future,” he said.