Garfield County Board of County Commissioners on Monday appointed new public library district board trustees representing New Castle and Carbondale. After a split vote, commissioners Tom Jankovsky and Mike Samson agreed to reopen the application for the Glenwood Springs trustee position. 

Jankovsky referenced the ongoing debate regarding restricting access to adult materials in libraries before discussing possible appointments with Samson. Jankovsky had asked each trustee candidate their thoughts on the subject during interviews on Dec. 5.

“I would say there’s strong support both ways,” Jankovsky said. “It’s probably similar to how our county is, we’re a purple county, almost 50/50…When I was listening to the individual  candidates, I was looking for somebody that was open minded, would listen, would accommodate. I feel that the library board itself has not been.”

---

---

Brit McLin was appointed to serve the remainder of former New Castle trustee Crystal Mariscal’s term, which expires Dec. 31, 2025. McLin was also recommended by the library district. 

Former chief of Burning Mountains Fire Protection District, McLin explained his vision of the role of Garfield County libraries during his interview for the position on Dec. 5. 

---

---

“To connect our communities in a world of possibilities. That sounds maybe a little vague, but it really is the future of the library district. We have to be a little vague,” McLin said on Dec. 5 in answer to Samson’s question.”Who knew we were going to have an internet 20 years ago? Who knew we were going to have cell phones that actually have more computing ability than the Apollo moon shots? So looking at the future, it’s to continue to connect communities, to provide services and to be a library, and the library is essentially a functional storage of knowledge and information, whether it’s digital or hard copy, the way I’d like it.”

During the interview, McLin expressed his support for restricting access to adult materials in libraries.

“My first experience with the public library was in Long Beach, California in 1955,” McLin said. “Right next to the librarian’s desk was a section labeled young adults, and you all learned that that meant not before your 12th birthday. I remember being really excited about turning 12 and being able to find out what was in that part. It wasn’t nearly as exciting as the wait.”

“Yes, I support it,” he added. “I think that that can be done by procedures and policies within individual library structures based on the floor plans, but I think it can be handled easily.”

Stephanie Pierucci Hirsch, author and founder of Pierucci Publishing and Roaring Fork Valley Moms, was appointed by commissioners to represent Carbondale for a full five-year term. 

“I really focused my entire life, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep, on how books bring communities together, not only with great prose, but with the ideas and the empathy that books bring to a community,” Hirsch said during her interview on Dec. 5. “When we’re looking, for instance, at helping integration with our Spanish speaking community, a lot of that happens when we’re bringing the children together, and then the mothers are chatting and sharing and the families are getting together. I see this cohesive network of our community that is bridged through the children, the Spanish services, through other community building events with the library.”

Hirsch also voiced her support for moving books with adult content to higher shelves. “I am thrilled to say that although I read plenty of racy materials as a teenager when I was in my younger developmental years, some of the mature audience selections were in a special area,” she said. “I also resonate with some of the other applicants, that parents need to be responsible to educate their children with the opportunity to make decisions based on what they feel, what they see, what they understand as the family’s moral compass.”

“If there’s something clearly inappropriate, for instance, for a 3-year-old, by pictures, etc, it just goes on a high shelf,” she added. “So I think this is an issue with regards to children, where very practical solutions can be made to help the entire community feel safe.” 

“I thought, that’s interesting, to have an author be on the library board,” Samson said in regard to Hirsch’s application on Monday. “I was impressed with the work that she had done. That’s not to say anything about any of the other candidates, but you have to make a choice, and that’s the one that I came with in my mind that I thought would be the best choice.”

Current Carbondale trustee Jocelyn Durrance had applied for reappointment and was recommended by the library district. Durrance’s term expires Dec. 31. 

“I just felt that (Durrance) was the leader of the ‘group think’ and was not open minded and willing to listen to the other side and make accommodations if necessary,” Jankovsky told the Post Independent on Tuesday. “She’s been a board member and she’s contributed to the library board and has served time and I appreciate that, but I just felt there were better choices.”

The library district also recommended reappointing current Glenwood Springs representative Susan Use.

Commissioner Jankovsky agreed with the library district’s recommendation of Use, listing Maureen Biermann and former Glenwood Springs City Council member Tony Hershey as alternative candidates. Samson recommended Jacqui Edelmann. 

“I was surprised Mike Samson did not support me. My interactions with him have been professional. During these interactions, I have demonstrated being an independent thinker who listens and relates to all of the community,” Use told the Post Independent Monday evening. “It was notable that Mr. Samson did not address possible issues with my performance as a board member. I believe Mr. Samson is intent on removing me from the board in pursuit of purely political objectives.”

“Library boards are not political entities,” she added. “Yet, Monday’s vote suggests otherwise.”

Commissioners did not come to a consensus and agreed to reopen the application for the Glenwood Springs position. Commissioner John Martin had not attended trustee interviews and abstained from voting during Monday’s meeting.

No firm dates were set, although commissioners agreed to appoint the new trustee after incoming commissioner Perry Will is sworn in on Jan. 14. 

Use has served as a trustee for four years and still plans to reapply for reappointment. In the meantime, the library district board of trustees will be without a Glenwood Springs representative until a new appointment is made after Use’s term expires on Dec. 31.

“I applied to be on the board of trustees to serve my community,” she said. “My track record as a trustee is impeccable. I am an independent thinker. I am prepared for all meetings. I am fiscally conservative balancing tax money with community goals. My goals and commitment have not changed.”

Use and Jamie LaRue, Garfield County Public Library District executive director, both expressed concern regarding the continuity and experience of the board. “I’m a little bit concerned that the significant turnover of a board, to replace within the space of one year, 2024, four of our seven trustees, changes a lot of dynamics,” LaRue said. “I think it’s unfortunate that we’ll lose the continuity and expertise of Jocelyn and Susan.”

Samson and Durrance did not reply by deadline to the Post Independent’s request for comment.