Library board stands by decision to close Medaryville branch

The Pulaski County Public Library Board of Trustees are standing by their decision to close the Medaryville library branch. 
On Dec. 23 during a meeting, trustee president Richard Mynark said that the board had not changed their mind regarding the closing of the branch and it will continue as is.
“At this point in time, I prefer not to make any comments that might give you ideas that we are moving in a particular direction,” Mynark said. “We have already made a decision to change the service profile of the library effective Jan. 1 and that still stands. Subsequent to that, all I can say is that we will see what happens.”    
Many of the same people who attended the meeting also attended the Nov. 25 meeting including Jim and Susan Bergens, county councilman and property owner Mike Tiede, county commissioner Larry Brady and Medaryville councilwoman Susan Wilcoxon. 
After the public comments were made, Mynark said there are two issues at hand — the building and the services. The services profile will be changed effective Jan. 1, according to him, but the building has potential to be used for other purposes. 
There was a question of whether the Medaryville library branch could “divorce itself” from the Pulaski County Public Library. 
Library executive director MacKenzie Ledley said, “There is no statute to allow a township to extricate itself from the library district.” 
As part of the meeting, there were several posters on display regarding information about the decision to close the library branch. Ledley highlighted several points of interest to the public regarding why the branch is closing. The notations were from past board meetings and employee reports.  
She said the library branch was not being closed without a fight. “I can’t keep re-inventing the wheel.”
 
See the full story in the Pulaski County Journal, available in print and e-edition.