A bill that would have taken policy-making authority away from county library boards in Utah and established it with county commissions was amended February 11 after librarians complained they had not been consulted.
Senate Bill 87, strongly supported by the Utah Association of Counties, gives commissions greater control over the county libraries in the state, but new language specifies that all policies for collections and information resources must be “consistent with state and federal law” and includes softer wording on county library governance.
Deputy State Library Director Douglas Abrams told American Libraries that “the problem driving the whole issue has been liability. The UAC clearly sought to get a statute that will clarify the fact that library service is a county service and that library directors are employees of the county.”
Abrams said that most county librarians were pleased with the modifications and added the bill could actually stimulate “a positive dialogue between county officials and library boards.”
Posted February 17, 2003.