Crystal Mariscal is resigning from the Garfield County Library District Board of Trustees, effective Nov. 8, according to a statement she shared Tuesday. Her last meeting with the board was Oct. 3.

Mariscal, who represented New Castle, began her first three-year term in January 2023. She was the first Latina to hold a position as a trustee.

“We appointed her because she was very interested,” Commissioner John Martin said Wednesday. “She was qualified to do that. She represented a portion of the community and I hope she did a great job for them.”

“I think she was a very good, effective, interesting, positive library board member,” Jamie LaRue, executive director of the Garfield County Public Library District, said on Tuesday. “And I’ll miss her.”

During her time as a trustee, Mariscal expanded library services for the Spanish-speaking community. She created a stipend for Spanish-speaking workers, increased the library’s collection of Spanish books and advocated for enhanced Spanish communication.

“Now that I’ve accomplished what I set out to do, it’s time for new ideas. I don’t want to hold a position for too long, as one must recognize when it’s time to step down,” Mariscal said in a letter to the board on Oct. 3. “The main reason I am leaving is for health; at this moment, I need to prioritize taking care of myself so I can take care of my children, particularly my youngest, who, despite being almost 17, still needs his mom.”

Mariscal’s resignation arrives during a period of intense discussion regarding the role of the library board of trustees. 

In 2023, a small group of community members raised concerns over unrestricted access to graphic novels for adult readers in the Garfield County libraries. The trustees found that the novels fell within the First Amendment and the library board’s policy and did not remove them or make them more difficult to access. 

In March of this year, the Garfield Board of County Commissioners approved resolution 2024-12, which states that “the Board of County Commissioners, acting as a committee, shall appoint a qualified person to fill the [trustee] vacancy. Said appointment must be ratified by a two-thirds majority vote of the commissioners.”

The newest library board of trustees member, Myrna Fletchall, was appointed by county commissioners in May. 

Restricting or removing library materials was addressed earlier this year by the Colorado Legislature and on May 31, Colorado Governor Jared Police signed Senate Bill 24-216, “Standards for Decisions Regarding Library Resources,” into law. The new law requires library boards to comply with specific standards in establishing a policy for how library resources and facilities are acquired, retained, displayed, used and reconsidered. The law also states library materials should not be restricted or barred “because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval of the library resource.” 

The Garfield County Library District Board of Trustees and county commissioners are currently working to establish an Intergovernmental Agreement that clearly details the trustee appointment process. LaRue said he does not know if the agreement will be completed before another trustee member is appointed.

In her statement, Mariscal thanked Martin for his service on the county commission and expressed hope that the timing of her resignation and November elections would be an opportunity to refresh discussions surrounding libraries moving forward.

“This transition will allow the new (county commission) to fill my vacant chair as well as two additional seats,” Mariscal’s statement read. “I believe this change can help shift the political dynamics surrounding our libraries, ultimately protecting our dedicated staff.”