Two bills currently being considered by the Iowa legislature, which would give more power over local libraries to city councils, did not advance after a legislative deadline passed.
House Study Bill (HSB) 678 and Senate Study Bill (SSB) 3168, which were introduced on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8, respectively, would allow a city council to “oversee and change the practice related to hiring a library director” as well as utilize tax money for libraries.
To remain under consideration during this legislative session, the bills had to advance from subcommittees to Senate and House committees by Feb. 16. Although the bills did not advance, lawmakers have other options such as adding related provisions to other bills.
These bills have the potential — if implemented — to impact operations at Drake Community Library.
Currently, the Drake Community Library Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the library director and utilizing library funds. Members of the board are appointed by the mayor and then approved by the city council.
“The library is one of the most democratic institutions,” Karen Neal, director of Drake Community Library, said. “If the legislature takes away the community’s ability to vote and to be involved with the management at that, that’s bad.”
Rachel Bly, Grinnell city council member for the third ward, said that she would not vote to overrule any decision made by the library director, and that she could not imagine a majority of the current city council would either. Before becoming a member of the city council, Bly previously served as a member of the library board of trustees.
“I don’t know that this bill would impact what we would choose to do,” Bly said. “But if we had a different city council, it doesn’t protect the library from what could be the reality at another point.”
In an email to The S&B, Matt Karjalahti, city council member for the fourth ward, also said he supports the current system. “With the current structure, our community has continually and historically benefited from the thoughtful hard work of our library’s staff, leadership and its board of directors,” Karjalahti wrote.
“I think for the most part, they’re all library supporters,” Neal said, referring to the current city council members. However, she said she was also concerned about potential implications if the makeup of the city council ever changed.
Adrienne Hardin, president of the Drake Community Library Board of Trustees, emphasized that the city council is already involved in major decisions, including approving the board’s choice for library director. “It’s not like we’re not consulting them about who we’re hiring, and it’s not like we’re doing this in a vacuum,” Hardin said. “It’s a very collaborative process.”
Hardin and Neal both said that the library also incorporates feedback from the Grinnell community.
Hardin said that they work to obtain materials requested by community members. “We do a really good job of trying to keep our collection up to date with the views of the community and with the materials that they want to access,” Hardin said.
Neal said that she recently had a mother come to her concerned about the presence of one book in the children’s section. “She brought it to me, and so we had a conversation about it,” Neal said. “We didn’t take it off the shelf, but if she had wanted more to happen, we do have a reconsideration process.”
The reconsideration process is outlined in the Material Selection Policy of the library. Library users can bring concerns first to the library director, then appeal the director’s decision to the board of trustees if necessary.
Hardin said she did not know what the function of the board would be if these bills were passed.
“I don’t think that the people who are working on these bills themselves understand what the implications are,” Hardin said. “I don’t know if any of us know what this means for Iowa’s libraries.”
Hardin emphasized that the six-year terms for the board are necessary for the amount of education and time required.
“We have to follow all of these rules,” Hardin said. “And the city council, they’re strapped for time as it is. They don’t have the time to throw in an extra 5 to 10 hours a week, helping to manage the library.”
Neal said she was concerned about what these bills could mean for other libraries, particularly those with fewer resources or towns without established city councils. “I think they’re going to experience maybe some books being taken off the shelf,” Neal said.
Library directors and other local Iowans publicly commented on HSB 678, relating this bill to a Nov. 2023 vote in Pella, Iowa where voters decided not to give their city council more power over their library.
Bly also agreed this legislation stemmed from Pella. “This comes from a place of censorship,” Bly said.
Correction: This article has been updated to accurately reflect the titles of both Drake Community Library director Karen Neal and the Drake Community Library Board of Trustees. This article has also been updated to accurately state that members of the board are not elected by community members, but rather appointed by the city mayor and approved by the city council.
