Library Director Responds to Supervisor Negativity of July 1, Regarding Samuels Operational Status – Then the Open House

Following the Warren County Board of Supervisors meeting of July 1, Royal Examiner contacted Samuels Public Library officials for a reaction to North River District Supervisor Richard Jamieson’s “1984 doublespeak” analogy to Samuels Public Library operations. That analogy, as noted in our initial story on the meeting, was used as the basis for withholding County contributory funding in the amount of $1.024 million set aside as the County share of Fiscal Year-2026 Public/Private Partnership library operational funding.

Following her meeting with other Samuels officials, on Wednesday, July 2nd Samuels Library Director Erin Rooney told us this:

“We are, of course, very disappointed by the events of the Board of Supervisors meeting last evening. We have already addressed the issues stated by Supervisor Jamieson time and time again.

Royal Examiner file photo of Samuels Library Director Erin Rooney, seated center, Library Director of Operations Eileen Grady, seated left, and Board of Trustees President Melody Hotek, at podium, during one of the library’s Question & Answer forums, this one dated to December 7, 2024. The announced forums were called to review operational financing questions raised by county supervisors.

“We have always expressed willingness to sit down and have cordial negotiations in good faith with the Board of Supervisors as we have had in the past with our Private/Public Partnership. We await their further action,” Rooney added before moving on to more pleasant library news:

“In other news Samuels had an absolute wonderful day yesterday with our Open House,” Rooney said, adding, “It was a phenomenal success with over 1,267 people walking through our doors, 70 new library card sign ups over $2,200 in donations and $1,700 made by our Friends of Samuels Library group. It was definitely a day of joy and gratitude to the community we serve.”

It just seems a shame that the county supervisors’ majority of four can express no joy or support for this community’s reigning Virginia Library of the Year 2024, with multiple other awards and recognitions having been achieved as well.

Samuels Public Library Opens New Chapter Without County Funding, But With Strong Community Support