‘A flip of the switch’: Library switches sparks confusion and concern
File photo
Seeking guidance, Jackson County Public Library board members met with County Manager Kevin King last week hoping to learn more about what, exactly, the lame-duck advisory board should do to prepare for operating an independent library over the next nine months.
In June, Jackson County commissioners voted 4-1 to withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library system and begin the year-long disentanglement process from the 80-year partnership over LGBTQ+ content. While there’s technically a chance commissioners change their minds before then, it appears to be slim. In the meantime, King is charged with carrying out commissioners’ wishes in a transparent, efficient manner.
“It’s my goal to make it just a flip of the switch,” King said, describing his aim to transition Jackson’s three libraries from Fontana’s system to a county-run operation with no disruption in services.
The meeting, held in the Sylva branch, was part clarification session, part myth-busting exercise and part group therapy as members tried to reconcile their continued service with the reality that their board will likely cease to exist when Jackson County formally withdraws from Fontana on June 30, 2026.
Board chair Frederick Buskey acknowledged that the lingering confusion had left the board in limbo. Members wondered whether their advice to Fontana still had value. King explained that technically, the JCPL board remains advisory to Fontana until the separation date. After that, commissioners will decide whether Jackson’s new library board will be advisory to them, or whether it will become a governing body in its own right.
King was invited to explain what will happen next. He told board members that the advisory role remains unchanged — at least for now — but after July 1, 2026, a new board will be constituted under bylaws yet to be written.
Related Items
Franklin’s Women’s History Park receives state award
Plot twist emerges in Jackson library fight
EBCI Chief Hicks urges Senate against Lumbee recognition
Honor our heritage, protect our libraries
“Right now we’re still kind of looking at best practice, but I do know that that looking at your role today, it’s still the same role that’s been, [for] however long, advising FRL in the current operation,” King said. “And then the transition plan will reset a new board.”
That left some members questioning how their role would change before the cutoff date. King said the issue wasn’t yet addressed by county commissioners but promised to raise it.
James also asked how strategic planning would work. State law requires every library system to maintain a long-range plan, usually developed through focus groups with outside consultants. King explained that new systems are exempt during their first “demonstration year,” meaning Jackson won’t have to submit a plan until 2027. That process, King said, wouldn’t begin until fall 2026.
“Normally, you don’t go through a strategic planning cycle until you actually become a library [on] July 1,” he said. Focus groups would then be convened to ensure community input.
The delay fueled unease among members who wanted to know how they could contribute in the meantime.
“What are the best avenues for members of this board or anybody that’s really passionate and concerned about the library? Is there any way for them to have impact or input into the process moving forward?” Buskey asked.
“Right now, nothing’s been set up,” King said; he suggested that perhaps after the first of the year commissioners could consider ways to use the existing board to support transition planning, but no formal avenue existed yet. That uncertainty frustrated some members.
“I think the board, in general, would be supportive of somehow using us so that we feel like our input is meaningful,” Buskey said.
The mechanics of the transition dominated much of the discussion. King explained that only the library director’s position will be directly appointed by commissioners. All other staff will be transitioned into county employment under his authority as county manager. He promised continuity of service but acknowledged some hurdles, including the county’s mandatory 12-month probationary period for new employees, which will apply even to veteran staff.
“We want to make sure it’s done correctly,” King said. He described efforts to transfer employees seamlessly but warned of challenges. “It’s my job. To reiterate, the commissioners have decided to separate. My job is to make sure it’s successful.”
Library staff raised concerns about wages and benefits. Tracy Fitzmaurice, the FRL librarian in Sylva, said some employees feared being paid less than their county counterparts while also facing higher health care costs. Fitzmaurice said she was already running into staffing problems, as some employees aren’t willing to wait around to see what they’ll be paid.
King responded that employees would at least receive a cost-of-living increase, and that a salary study planned for next year could adjust pay across the county workforce. He defended Jackson’s insurance as competitive, but staff said Fontana’s coverage was better. This pushed back directly against the claim some are making that employees will make more under an independent library system.
Jackson County Public Library board members (left to right) Marva Jennings, Kitty Chisholm and Deborah Smith listen to questions during a special meeting of the board on Sept. 23. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Programming also emerged as a sticking point. Because of the uncertainty after June 30, Fitzmaurice said the library couldn’t commit to hosting events in July 2026 and beyond. The popular Junior Appalachian Musicians program has already decided to relocate. The library has also had to turn down multiple wedding bookings.
Board member Kitty Chisolm asked about requirements for the new director. King confirmed that state law still mandates an accredited librarian, regardless of whether Jackson remains in the FRL.
Questions also arose about contracts, accounting and IT. King said most vendor contracts were small and already being duplicated by county departments, so the transition should be straightforward. He emphasized that Jackson’s existing IT infrastructure, including fiber connections provided by BalsamWest, would make the change nearly automatic.
Concerns about cataloging and lending policies were raised by board member Lauren Baxley, who wondered how Jackson would handle the loss of Fontana’s courier system. King said discussions were underway with Southwestern Community College, which runs a courier service, about whether Jackson could dovetail into that arrangement.
As for library materials, King said Jackson County would remain in the NC Cardinal system, a statewide consortium, and that book barcodes could simply be reassigned to the new system without re-cataloging each volume. Fitzmaurice cautioned that RFID tags and authentication systems could complicate the change, but King maintained that the process had worked smoothly elsewhere.
Nonprofit status was another point of confusion. Fontana, as a 501(c)(3), is technically a nonprofit, while Jackson County government is not. Baxley asked what that meant for grants. King explained that most library funding comes from state and federal sources anyway but that Jackson could partner with nonprofits to pursue foundation money unavailable to government entities.
The board circled back repeatedly to the theme of uncertainty. Buskey summarized that, for now, the board advises Fontana, while individuals could still contact King or commissioners with concerns. Smith suggested Fontana might also amend its bylaws to allow more participation from the Jackson board during the transition, but no action was taken.
The meeting also touched on widespread rumors. Marva Jennings, who serves on the FRL board, asked King whether commissioners planned to close the Cashiers library and sell the building. King answered with a flat “no,” as did Cashiers librarian Serenity Richards.
The Fontana board had issued a press release earlier in the month seeking to dispel such speculation, stating that there were “no plans” to close libraries or remove services.
Questions persisted about whether the release had been effectively distributed; however, the release itself contains five ambiguous points read aloud during the meeting by board member Lori Richards.
The first point does indeed say that there are “no plans to close any Jackson County library,” but does not explicitly promise that will be the case upon separation.
The second point states that there are “no official plans or discussions” about reducing library services but does not explicitly promise that will be the case upon separation.
The third point correctly states that Jackson, Macon and Swain commissioners increased library funding last year but again does not explicitly promise that will be the case upon separation. King initially estimated Jackson’s withdrawal would cost the county up to $300,000 in start-up costs and then around $500,000 in additional operating expenses in perpetuity, so it’s probable Jackson will increase funding again next year, and it’s also possible Jackson County taxpayers will be on the hook for another tax increase in addition to the substantial increase implemented this year.
The fourth point states that “no library materials have been removed from any FRL library due to objectionable content.” While that is true, the Jackson commissioners who voted to withdraw have repeatedly stated that the reclassification or removal of books they deem objectionable is their goal. This particular point has alarmed citizens who fear they’ll also end up on the hook for defending a First Amendment lawsuit.
The final point, that libraries in Macon and Swain counties would remain in the FRL system, is speculative. Decisions to remain in the FRL system are up to the county commissioners in those counties, and their willingness to remain could change if the cost of operating the FRL system go up due to Jackson’s absence.
Brad Waldrop, the Town of Sylva’s representative on the JCPL board, was absent due to a previously scheduled meeting. Commissioner John Smith, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners’ representative on the JCPL board, was also absent and has missed three of four JCPL meetings this year. Jackson County commissioners have until June 30, 2026, to reverse their decision but have already begun spending taxpayer funds to pursue the separation.
