Library Commission out of touch

The Library Commission meeting on Monday, May 7th was remarkable for the Commission’s inability — or adamant refusal — to listen to points of view other than their own, especially with regard to their pet project, self-check machines. The documents that were meant to inform an incisive conversation about the self-check equipment were over 58 pages long and did not include any information from the employees who have been the “testers” for the equipment. The documents were posted on the website less than two days before the Commission meeting, and were still being revised hours before the meeting itself. A large number of employees and community people came to the meeting, and several commented on the self-check machines.
According to the users, the machines frequently exhibit confusing error messages. They do not process CDs or DVDs as well as they do books. While Sonoma County materials can be piled on the scanner to be read, items from other counties (with whom the library has reciprocal exchanges) need to be separated and treated differently.
Some employees prefer not to use the self-check machines at all, because they take longer than simply checking out materials as before. Many patrons have also encountered problems with the machines, but the Library management is insisting on “100% usage of self-check,” prompting appeals to be reasonable from both employees and patrons.
Worst of all for Rohnert Park employees and patrons, the self-check machines are constantly triggering the security alarms. According to testimony at the meeting, this occurs several times a day at Rohnert Park library, but out of the thousands of alarms sounding since the gates were turned on, only four have been actual cases of theft. The union has pleaded with management to turn off the security alarms, but management refuses to do so.
Even after several explicit pleas for a motion from the Library Commission, not a single Commissioner introduced a motion to shut off the alarms. On the contrary, Commission Chair Julia Freis appeared at a Library Advisory Board meeting in Cloverdale the next day, and reported that the self-check machines are working fine, just fine, with “just a few glitches.”
The Library Commission made a presentation to the County Board of Supervisors on March 27. It is worth noting that this is the second time the Commission has met since appearing before the Board, and none of the suggestions made by the Supervisors at that meeting have appeared on an agenda or been discussed in any way.
One wonders if the Library Commissioners are even capable of listening to divergent viewpoints or to admitting any errors on their own part.
Unfortunately, the Commission is the only body with the power to oversee library management and the Director. It is not clear how any disagreement can be even heard, much less taken seriously.
Virginia R. Harris is writing on behalf of the Sonoma County Save Our Libraries Steering Committee.