“We Are Here to Stay”: Samuels Library Staff, Board, and Supporters Rally Community at Public Forum

In a packed two-hour public forum, Samuels Public Library trustees, staff, volunteers, and community members gathered to voice their commitment to preserving the library and resisting what they described as an unjustified attempt by county officials to replace the institution with a private management company.

“We have built this library together as a community since 1799, donation by donation… volunteer hour by volunteer hour, and brick by brick,” said Board President Melody Hotek, setting the tone of defiance and unity early in the meeting. “We will not stand by while four supervisors, who appear to have a personal vendetta and a vocal minority representing just 1.25% of the population, try to assume a moral high ground for the rest of us.”

That opening statement met with murmurs and nods of agreement from the audience, was only the beginning of an emotionally charged evening centered on transparency, legality, community investment, and the future of public services in Warren County.

A Library Under Siege

The central concern raised by speakers throughout the evening was the decision by the Warren County Board of Supervisors to end funding for Samuels Public Library on July 1, 2025, and to consider contracting Library Systems & Services (LS&S), a for-profit company, to take over public library services.

Hotek emphasized that Samuels is “not a vendor” but a “community institution” managed by a nonprofit board of local volunteers. She accused the county of working “in secret and with no input from the library and with no valid reason that anyone can understand.”

Trustee and incoming Friends of Samuels Library (FOSL) president Sydney Patton underscored the emotional and historic value of the library: “We have been here for 30 years as a love letter and a best friend to the library… We will not do that for another company.”

The forum detailed the extensive local support for the library, with over 16,000 active cardholders and thousands of volunteer hours logged annually. Multiple speakers stressed that this was not a political issue but a community one. “I am a practicing Catholic… I almost thought about leaving the church,” said one board member. “But I realized this isn’t about my faith—it’s about how people are choosing to wield power.”

Financial Concerns and FOIA Confusion

Much of the meeting was spent clarifying misinformation about finances and the future of library assets.

Library Director Erin Rooney and other board members outlined how the nonprofit is governed, audited, and funded. “We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We have our own board. We own our assets. We have a 30-year lease. We’re not going anywhere,” Rooney stated.

She addressed why the library did not respond to the county’s request for proposals (RFP): “The RFP was written for a management company. It inferred that the assets would be owned by the county. That’s not the case here.”

The library has reviewed multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from the county, a process they said would cost approximately $10,000 in staff time and legal oversight. Hotek emphasized, “They’re asking for 20 years of documents, some of which they already have. We have to pull paper receipts and old boxes in storage—it’s a huge burden.”

When asked if not responding to a FOIA could be used legally against the library, Melody Hotek said, “We did respond timely. It would be a question for the courts.”

Asset Ownership and Financial Comparisons

Concerns about the library’s assets—books, furniture, technology—were a recurring point. “They’re ours,” Hotek repeated. “They’re insured by us. Bought by us. Donated to us. They’re on our audit records.”

The board provided a financial comparison between continuing with Samuels versus moving to LS&S. In the current fiscal year, Samuels requested $1.024 million in county funding—equal to LS&S’s proposed bid. But Samuels also committed to raising an additional $245,000 from private fundraising and had already invested $121,000 in collection development this year, plus another $126,000 in operations from state aid.

“They’re not saving the county any money,” Eileen Grady said. “In fact, it will cost more to start from scratch—millions of dollars to replace our collection, technology, and staff.”

Eileen Grady acknowledged that even without county support, the library has enough in its reserve and emergency donor fund—over $500,000—to continue operations in the short term. “Give yourselves applause,” she said to the crowd. “That’s all you.”

Community Outcry and Political Frustration

Audience members echoed frustration and confusion about the county’s motivations and lack of transparency. “We’ve had no contact from the board in over a year,” one trustee said. “We had to sit at a public hearing to find out they didn’t renew our agreement.”

“I’m from Florida,” said a newer resident, visibly emotional. “I came here for this community. But if this is how our local government treats its best institutions, I’m wondering what’s happening in our schools, our hospital, our fire departments.”

Several attendees urged more direct political action. One local candidate, Hugh Henry, spoke during the Q&A session and described the county’s current political state as “a power grab.” He encouraged voters to participate in the upcoming June 17th primary, describing it as “the real election” for key seats on the Board of Supervisors.

Volunteers, Legacy, and Looking Ahead

Throughout the evening, library staff and board members continuously returned to the real impact of the library: the patrons, volunteers, and children it serves.

“I’ve volunteered at this library since 2009,” said one long-time supporter. “I work in the bookstore. I shelve books. I just can’t stay away.”

Board member Scott Jenkins concluded with a powerful reflection: “We deserve the best. What the supervisors are offering is not the best. We deserve better.”

The meeting ended with applause, gratitude, and a call for continued support, engagement, and, most importantly—hope.

“Come July 1,” Hotek told the crowd, “come renew your library card.”