Directorship in Jeopardy for Gwinnett’s Pinder

-- Library Journal, 6/12/2006

Jo Ann Pinder, for 15 years director of the Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA, may be dismissed at a June 12 board meeting, as a majority of three board members—including one appointed in mid-May—has apparently agreed she should go. Board member Brett Taylor, a Pinder supporter, circulated an open letter on June 2 claiming that “certain factions” on the board would not only fire Pinder but also dismantle the library’s executive staff. GCPL won the Gale/LJ Library of the Year award in 2000, and Pinder was the 2002–03 president of the Public Library Association. Pinder has not received previous reprimands and, if she is fired without cause, the county will have to pay her one year’s salary, or $127,000. Taylor urged supporters of Pinder to wear red to the board meeting.

Gwinnett is a conservative place--in May, the county Board of Education ended months of controversy by deciding that the “Harry Potter” book series would not be removed from school libraries. Gwinnett County Public Library Watch<WWW.GCPLWATCH.ORG>, which says its objective is “to harmonize our library system with the conservative values of Gwinnett County families,” has criticized the library for emphasizing popular materials, for having a high weed rate, and for having too many managers. One board member, Phyllis Oxendine, objected to the previous checkout limit of 250 items, thinking it would lead to theft of materials; the limit was lowered in April to 75 items. Pinder said the few people who had over 100 items did not have a record of fines. While critics cited a weed rate of 22.6%, Pinder said that referred to records deleted in 2005, since the library lost a large number of DVDs that year. “I have attempted to find a library that is comparable and have concluded that there isn’t one,” said Pinder, noting that some counterparts lease their popular materials and that most other libraries that circulate more than six million items have much more space, so GCPL must be turning over its collection. In March, Pinder was accused of yelling at two parents of home-schoolers, who wanted library documents to examine purchasing decisions. She later apologized. “I am very proud of the job I’ve done here,” Pinder said. “I think I’ve allowed the library system to grow and be responsive to the community. I know that I didn’t do that myself.”