Atlanta Library Trustees’
Hiring Process Questioned
Controversy has already erupted over the appointment of Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System Director Mary Kaye Donahue-Hooker, who is scheduled to start on August 18. A five-year-old watchdog organization, the Atlanta-based Georgia First Amendment Foundation, wrote to the library’s board July 28 to question the legality of its voting for a new director in a closed-door executive session July 23.
The letter suggested that the board was also violating state law by failing to release all the records of the top three candidates 14 days before the vote. GFAF Executive Director Hollie Manheimer told American Libraries that the library had not responded as of August 5.
According to the July 27 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the library staff is also riled about being kept out of the loop. “We were not approached about sending someone to be a part of the selection process,” Staff Association President Andrea Akiti said. “In the past, there was staff involvement.”
Posted August 9, 1999.
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