Brown-John: Should a librarian head Windsor’s libraries?

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A recent concern among Windsor librarians about the newly appointed head of the library warrants consideration. Does a library system need a qualified librarian at its head?

This is not the first time Windsor’s library system has been led by a non-librarian. Current Windsor Port Authority president and chief executive officer Steve Salmons was CEO of Windsor Public Library some years ago. As an aside, he still chides me about grades I gave him as a UWindsor student.

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The Windsor Public Library board’s selection of Jen Knights, a city manager, as new library CEO, while she continues holding her position as the city’s executive director of recreation and culture, has been questioned.

I imagine, as an effort to minimize a prospective tax increase, several city hall positions were reshuffled and in some cases consolidated.

While I fully understand concerns expressed by CUPE Local 2067 president Katie Vlanich, representing Windsor library workers, on the selection of a manager over a librarian, it’s not without precedent in parallel circumstances.

For example, Canada has a fine foreign service of experienced officers. Yet while some achieve the ambassadorial pinnacle, every government appoints non-foreign service staff to key ambassadorial positions. Former B.C. premier John Horgan, who passed away this week while serving as Canada’s ambassador to Germany, is an example.

Librarians and libraries do matter, but a public faced with a substantial property tax increase might readily agree that a good manager as CEO could outweigh a fine librarian. I am certain we already have some very capable city librarians.

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I tend to view libraries as essential public services and a critical part of our community. My personal library experience is checkered.

Early in elementary school I was allegedly an incorrigible problem for teachers. By late Grade 4 and throughout Grade 5 I had an exceptional teacher who periodically did sentence me to visit the principal’s office.

However, in that first elementary school that same teacher’s classroom hosted our school library. Perhaps exercising some guile she designated me “assistant librarian.” Thereafter, our school principal declared me head of the school boy patrol covering student crosswalks on a main road.

Ultimately, responsibility for the library had the greatest long-term impact as opportunities — read: numerous books — emerged.

But then my family moved to a rural area east of Vancouver. My new rural school had no library. The province of British Columbia, however, had a system for kids like me living in the bush. We could obtain a catalogue and order books from Victoria’s provincial library. It worked very well.

Jumping forward some years, when we launched ElderCollege in 2011, then-CEO of Essex County’s library system Janet Woodbridge contacted me to offer a working relationship with the county library system. That has continued.

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Regrettably, I am unable to add that ElderCollege has had a successful working relationship with Windsor’s public library system. It started well but as Windsor’s library system underwent assorted turmoil ElderCollege was sidelined. ElderCollege holds classes in county libraries but not those in the city.

Thankfully, libraries appear to have kept pace with technology that has overwhelmed so many older folks. For those confused by electronic devices, libraries offer assistance, as well as book clubs, activities for children, and access to movies, magazines and thousands of books.

Libraries are places where creativity can flourish. They are also places where adventures begin and learning continues. An afternoon in a library is probably a more interesting experience than watching a soap opera on TV.

Some municipal politicians are reticent to support libraries. In some cases, I’d rather direct taxes to support libraries than cover the costs associated with care of elected politicians.

Libraries are centres of community knowledge. Library documents can offer opportunities to understand how communities developed as safe and healthy places to live.

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Communities deserve great librarians but not all great librarians have the skills to make great senior managers.

I appreciate librarians’ concerns, however I also appreciate efforts to keep a lid on taxes whilst assuring capable management.

Libraries matter and so do taxpayers.

Lloyd Brown-John is a University of Windsor professor emeritus of political science and director of Canterbury ElderCollege. He can be reached at lbj@uwindsor.ca.

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