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Tennessee Library Supporters Fight to Keep BooksA group of Dickson County (Tenn.) Public Library supporters filed a lawsuit August 19 against county commissioners in a last-minute attempt to stop the state library from seizing 19,600 books—one-fourth of its collection—because the county violated a 20-year-old statewide agreement when it cut DCPL’s funding. The state provides books, grants, and such services as Internet access to libraries under a “maintenance of effort” agreement that prohibits localities from significantly cutting library budgets.Tennessee State Librarian Edwin Gleaves told American Libraries that commissioners stalemated in a 6–6 vote August 18—just two days before a state deadline—on a measure to restore $40,571 previously cut from the library budget. County Attorney Larry Ramsey prevented County Mayor Linda Frazier from casting a tie-breaking vote that would have restored the library budget, arguing that she couldn’t legally vote on the issue. The lawsuit challenges Ramsey’s opinion and asks the court to validate the county’s decision to restore the funds. Gleaves and Secretary of State Riley Darnell agreed to postpone the scheduled book removal for at least 30 days. “We will let [the lawsuit] run its course, because it looks to us that it’s a good case,” Gleaves said. State officials warned in July that unless counties restored money to library budgets in accordance with the maintenance of effort agreement, they planned to remove the state-owned books and end all other state services. If the lawsuit fails, Dickson County could become the first in the state to lose its bid to stay in Tennessee’s regional library system. Posted August 25, 2003. |
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