Meeting Public Comments

Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.

Comments Submitted:

02-09-2024

Cindi Keithley

I am adamantly opposed to HSB 678. This bill is totally unnecessary as city councils already control taxpayers library funding in the current system. Our library director and board trustees work closely with both the city finance director, mayor and city council to set our annual budget and amend if needed. We do not receive appropriations without council approval now so this bill really comes down to an effort to create a state mandate on city councils without any additional funding, training or other assistance. Our city council members have more than enough to do without adding control of library directors and operations. Please do not advance this bill.

02-10-2024

Eric Jennings

In various forums the bill known as HSB678 and similar bills like SSB3131 and SSB3168 have garnered hundreds of comments from members of the public. As members of the legislature I implore you to listen to your constituents that they do not want you to advance this bill and its ilk forward. Do the right thing and vote no.

02-10-2024

Emma Stoffer

Any bill that seeks to disenfranchise Iowa citizens is troubling, but it is especially disturbing to see state leaders attempt to remove voting power from Iowa citizens when it concerns local issues. The very act of proposing a bill that circumvents the call for a referendum demonstrates the fear state leaders have of public voice and by extension, the public library, an institution that strives to help Iowans of all backgrounds find their voices and tell their stories. Furthermore, the absence of the counties in these conversations is bemusing. Elected county leaders have a say over their public libraries much like those of the city. Why are they excluded from these bills? Public libraries have thrived in Iowa for over a century. They have not needed this level of interference in the past, nor do they need it now. It begs the question, why do our state leaders feel the sudden urge to change this? What is it about our libraries that frightens them so intensely that they are determined to destroy librarianship as it exists currently?Kill HSB 678. Protect Iowas public libraries, and the civic voices of Iowa citizens. Public Libraries must remain in the power of the public, not at the mercy of malevolent political machinations.

02-10-2024

Sam Helmick

The three library boardadverse bills filed this week feel like a state level response to a local concern and diminishes the value of local control found at the library board then city council levels. It once again flouts the voice of local voters just as HF 718 did to their petitioned then votedin library and museum levies. They last public comment section on this issue was flooded with opposition. Each meeting and hearing has been packed with Iowans telling representatives they do not want this. When will their time, voice, and concerns mean enough to refocus attention to bills that arent so library board and local control adverse?

02-10-2024

Sam Helmick

02-10-2024

Danielle Jennings

I am highly opposed to HSB 678. With similar legislation trying to be pushed through the Senate (SSB3131 and SSB3168) it is absolutely plain to see that countless individuals are against over regulating libraries and have a strong desire to keep our current systems. There seems to be no merit in the changes being suggested and would only inject unnecessary politics, bog down our local leaders, and drag down the services that communities rely on. I am urging my elected leaders to please listen to their citizens to vote no. Please support our libraries.

02-10-2024

Eric Jennings

For easy access to the hundreds of comments in opposition to the proposed legislation in its various forms here are three links:HSB 678: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/perma/0207202411692SSB 3131: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/perma/0202202411616SSB 3168: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/permaI ask that you consider the voices of all those citizens before your vote.

02-10-2024

Becky Heil

I urge you to vote no on this proposed bill and all those like it. I am firmly opposed to removing the authority for the management of a library from the library board of trustees. Currently, city councils (and Board of Supervisors) appoint board members and entrust them to represent the community. They are dedicated citizens who educate themselves on best practices for public libraries and don't allow politics to get in the way of making important decisions. They do their best to manage the meager tax dollars allotted to the library and are advocates for ALL in their community.

02-10-2024

Ray Pun

It's very clear that HSB 678 would hurt public libraries in Iowa and Iowans who rely on their libraries for all kinds of crucial services. This bill would constraint the public libraries' access in managing their own finances and jeopardizing library directors and their positions who are community leaders in Iowa.

02-11-2024

Anne Mangano

I am writing in opposition to HF678. Please read the comments from Iowans across the state on the subcommittee comment section to this bill as well as the companion SSB3168. At a community forum over the weekend, Representative Nordman said that librarians have acted badlythat we are lying about this bill. It is not supposed to be about what books are in the library. That may not be the intention of this bill; I will give Nordman the benefit of the doubt. This is obviously about a specific city in Senator Green and Representative Nordman's district that has a city with an axe to grind for its public library. But we are here telling you that fights over books will be an unintended consequence with this bill. One can easily imagine a public library with a Board of Trustees facing an argument over a book that spills over to the City Council. The Council will have the power to strip away the governance structure and fire the director over that book easily. What if this was law last year? What would have happened in Pella? That's what we are trying to explain. Semiautonomous library boards do not mean that library boards do not have relationships with their respective city and county governments. Libraries have to go through the same budgetary process and purchasing rules as other city departments. They follow the same human resources rules and guidelines. And there is already a mechanism in place to make changes to governance structure and it is with the voters. If Perry Iowa needs to make a change to its library, it can go to its citizens. And if their citizens do not want to do that, then they need to make a better argument or stomach the voice of the people.

02-11-2024

Raleigh Helmick

I believe this bill is designed to take away from the communities right and abilities to govern themselves. These boards know what their community want and need. It appears that the state and or federal Iowa prepresentatives feel that are local representatives or the people of these communities are not capable, intelligent, or willing to take care of ourselves. These are misconceptions that I think are purposely put out. And for those who are saying that ILA board members are being untruthful well shame on you could be you need some self evaluation.

02-11-2024

Judy Wery [Ely council member ]

I oppose this bill. As a council, we already approve the library budget, and the appointments to library board. We work together with them in planning their budget. There is no additional oversight necessary. We don't need additional responsibility of overseeing the library. This bill is unnecessary.

02-11-2024

Brad Bleichner [City of Independence]

As the Mayor of our city, I have the privilege of working regularly with our Librarian and our Library Board. These volunteers due an exceptional job operating our library. Our City Council cannot and should not micromanage our Librarian and our library. Our Library is too important to our city to have it politicized and damaged. I urge opposition to this bill.

02-11-2024

Sarah Uthoff

I'm very grateful they've pulled some of the money concerns, but you don't seem to understand the amount of work that is currently done by citizen volunteers and dumping it on already over worked government. They don't have the time or money to be paid to do this ADDITIONAL work already capably done by Iowans. This also takes this charge away from citizens themselves and pulls it up to a higher layer of government. We need to keep controls local and in the hands of people who put in a ton of training and volunteer to make the library and their city a better place.

02-11-2024

Mary Dooley

Please kill this unnecessary and detrimental bill. Who wants it? Not city councils, especially in small towns like ours, where councilmembers already have their hands full. They have no training in running a library and count on library boards that they have appointed and with whom they work well. Voters certainly don't want this bill, because this bill takes away our right to vote on library referendums. The current system has worked well for decades. Leave it alone. Don't try to politicize our libraries and don't take voting rights away from us! Kill this bill.

02-12-2024

Shawna Riggins

I oppose HSB678. This proposed legislation threatens the nonpartisan nature of libraries that is essential to the fundamental values of these institutions. Libraries exist to support communities. Please do not threaten their efficacy and the essential support that they offer to Iowans. The fact that this legislation has advanced without regard to the hundreds of opposition statements is a testament to why this bill puts the foundational purpose of libraries at risk. legislators, listen to IOWANS. WE DONT WANT THIS HARMFUL LEGISLATION.

02-12-2024

Tim Fridolph [Red Oak City Council]

As a City Council member, I am adamantly opposed to HSB 678. This bill is totally unnecessary as city councils already control taxpayers library funding in the current system. Our library director and board trustees work closely with both the mayor, city council, and Clerck to set the annual budget and amend if needed. This will create a state mandate on city councils without any additional funding, training or other assistance. We have more than enough to do without adding control of library directors and operations to our plate.

02-12-2024

Steven Hardina

I am strongly opposed to HSB 678. This bill, like the Senate Study Bills on the same topic recently, is clearly responding to getting an outcome that some legislators didn't like in Pella by trying to take away local control and turn libraries into a political football for likeminded city council members and candidates, because the people clearly aren't going along with this kind of thing when they're asked to vote directly on it.It would be funny to see people who supposedly care so much about small government take such a hypocritical stance if it weren't so harmful.Sending Iowa on a race to the bottom with culture war issues is simply depressing to see. Having libraries and education hold such a special place in Iowa that we protect them from the heat of the political moment is one of our best features, and these bills would actively make us lesser as a state.

02-12-2024

MELISSA MAHON

I am adamantly opposed to HSB 678. This bill is totally unnecessary as city councils already control taxpayers library funding in the current system. Our city council members have more than enough to do without adding control of library directors and operations. Please do not advance this bill.

02-12-2024

S.E. Eberly

House Study Bill 678 would make it possible for city councils to take away the power of local library boards and give it to city councils. This legislation has been put forward by two Iowans who dont, themselves, have library cards. Perhaps thats why they dont understand how important it is to keep our public libraries free from political motivations. Our Iowa Republican party seems to have adopted a transactional morality in which the end power, centralized control justifies the means. Doing away with apolitical library boards and moving control into the hands of highly political elected councils is another means to accomplish that end. It is a strategy that has no place in a party, or a government, that claims to back local control.

02-12-2024

Megan Hayes

appointments to the Library Boards are very well vetted to make sure there is equal representation. Unless you have personally read their applications how would you know if their is not equal representation. Because someone does not get on the board for the term they are applying could very well mean there is already a member that fits that background. Try again. I am thankful not everyone gets on a Library Board the first time. I am thankful the Library Boards go through extra training. Nothing good can come from HSB 678. This bill was developed out of hate. Public Libraries are for the public, that is All people of All religions or beliefs, All demographics.

02-12-2024

Eric Sickler

Respectfully, HSB678 and similar bills like SSB3131 and SSB3168 have garnered hundreds of comments from taxpaying Iowans whose views are shared by hundreds of thousands of taxpaying Iowans who rely on local libraries for critically important services. As elected representatives of all Iowans, please listen to your constituents. We do not want you to advance this bill and others like forward. Do the right thing: vote no.

02-12-2024

Mari Redington

It is overwhelmingly clear by all of these public comments that people who use and pay taxes for our libraries oppose HSB678! Listen to your constituents and honor partnerships already established between city councils and library boards in over 500 libraries. I have a family member on a city council in this state and he told me "I don't believe that city council should be making decisions on the day to day direction of the local library. Let the library be run by those passionate library boards and librarians." Let's think this one through and get rid of this terrible legislation that would hinder access to Iowans. People are leaving Iowa in droves because we are taking away basic human rights and access to all the things libraries provide, and it's not just scary books that acknowledge that diversity *exists*. Please don't make it a city council decision whether the children's librarians in my city can provide free snacks or offer a program that is welcome for all community members to enjoy. Please trust your libraries and library boards to run their library with fervor and expertise, as well as a sincere desire to provide free access for all. Keep libraries local.

02-12-2024

Heather Youngquist

Stop trying to change the management of our local libraries! I am adamantly opposed to this bill and all of its recent predecessors. Keep our library structure the way it is. Our libraries are serving our communities in vital ways and are well managed now.

02-12-2024

Caroline Bredekamp

WHAT is the rationale behind these bills? No one is really stating that despite many having legitimate statements and facts backing up their opposing these recent bills against the current system of running libraries in the State of Iowa. I am against these bills both as a mayor and as a librarian. The bills have no real purpose other than to allow POLITICS into a system that is meant for EVERYONE. Librarians and the State Library and all library boards understand that the libraries are for everyone of all ages, genders, ethnic backgrounds etc. And they do all the good works of the libraries on limited budgets and through grant writing and donations. Funding also comes from other sources that give the funding for library use and not to be a pot of money for cities to use on the varying councils' whims. Councils who may not support libraries in their communities can in effect eliminate them or greatly diminish what they can do for ALL. City staff and elected councils are not trained in the world of libraries and do not know the importance and the methods used to accomplish so much, with so little and for ALL. These individuals also are already overburdened with the roles they have. I respectfully, (and urgently) request that you shut down all of the bills similar to this one and this bill itself. Iowa libraries and our system is the envy of many states. It does not make sense to destroy a good thing.

02-12-2024

Benjamin Rothman [Albion Library and Heritage Center]

Apparently it needs to be restated here after having already been unequivocally opposed before the subcommittee meeting that This bill is completely asinine, and does nothing to help the libraries in the state of Iowa. All it does is politicize the apolitical and make it possible to have easy abuses of power and policy to regulate who can have access to what information. That, in case you need to be reminded, is censorship, and something that run counter to the freedom we espouse in this nationn. If youre intent is not to cripple and destroy the public library system especially in rural Iowa, then vote no on this bill.If, for whatever reason, your intent and desire is to censor information and destroy the public library system, quit being cowards and hiding behind nice little soundbites and just say so and let people see you for the people you really are.

02-12-2024

Megan Dial-Lapcewich [Oxford Public Library]

Once again, I strongly oppose this bill. I am a library trustee and we work closely with our city councils as it is to make sure our local library can best serve our citizens this is the story for all libraries across Iowa. City councils are also already overwhelmed with how much they must do for their towns they do not have the time or training that volunteer library trustee members do to make decisions for their libraries. This bill, and the current ones like it, are just solutions looking for a problem where there IS NO PROBLEM.

02-12-2024

Mary Elrod

I strongly oppose HSB678! Leave decisions concerning our libraries with boards made Up of people who are passionate about our public libraries and the necessary and valuable materials and programs they provide, for all members of our communities from the very young to the very old and the well off to those in dire need.

02-12-2024

Laura Blaser

Vote NO to HSB 678. This does not represent the people's interests. The overwhelming public response in these comments should inform you that this bill, and the others awfully similar to it, are not wanted, and will not do the public good. Please consider instead, focusing your energies on real problems instead of fabricating new ones.

02-12-2024

Jamie Neff

Please vote no to HSB 678. The ways these bills have been rushed to the floor is shocking and does not reflect active listening to constituents' views on similar bills in the works. This bill will hurt rural Iowans' access to quality services and materials.

02-12-2024

Lisa Martincik

HSB 678 should not pass because it addresses a nonproblem. City Councils have neither the time nor the training nor the place to oversee the workings of this community service. Passage of this bill would disproportionately harm our smallest communities.