LC PUBLIC LIBRARY FILLING IN THE GAPS FOR KIDS HEADED TO SCHOOL…
One parent upset over exclusion of child because of Library ‘policy’
By Susan Salyer
The LC Public Library Board Of Trustees had a Regular Scheduled Monthly Meeting on Monday, February 12, 2024 at the LC Public Library, 102 W. Main Street, Louisa, Kentucky at 12PM. LC Public Library Director Carlie Pelfrey was in attendance along with President Marc Lester, Vice President Susie Chambers, Lennie Collins and James Allen Pauley Barker. Kim Burchett was absent.
MINUTES/FINANCIALS
The LC Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the January 2024 Minutes and December 2023 Financials. Trustee James Allen Pauley Barker asked for clarification on a check for $174.90 that was in miscellaneous column of the financials. Director Pelfrey stated that the general description was on quickbooks at her desktop. She offered to go to her office but the trustees decided to have that description at next month’s meeting.
POLICY CHANGES
Director Pelfrey discussed that there will be two Library Policy Amendment changes made. The policies have not been changed since 2015 but were looked at by the Trustees and passed unanimously.
The first policy will be for Behavior Guidelines with a Motion by Marc Lester 2nd by Lennie Collins, all in favor.
The second policy is the Unattended Child Policy with a Motion by Marc Lester and 2nd by James Allen Pauley Barker. (See Public Comments below)
Staff Reviews/COL Adjustments
The LC Board decided to table the Vacant Trustee Offices until next month’s meeting. The offices left open are for Secretary and Treasurer. Also the Staff Reviews and Cost Of Living Adjustments were tabled until next month’s meeting.
February 12, 2024 Board Update
• January 2024 Door Count: 4,005
• January 2024 Programs January 2024 In-House: 14 Programs 281 Attendance January 2024 Outreach: 5 Programs 49 Attendance
• January 2024 Total Programs: 19 Attendance: 330Self Directed Activities (In-House & Outreach): 30Participants (In-House & Outreach): 1,104
• January 2024 New Book Giveaways: 263(Story Hour & Lobby Table)
• Misc. Stats:
• Podcast plays: 41
• Big Sandy News Digital Collection Views: 178Unique Users: 75
• Notary: 45
• Memory Lab Reservations: 1
• 70th Anniversary 1954 – 2024n- September 2024 marks 70 year Anniversary for the LC Public Library.
• USDA/KDE Summer Feeding Training
Sensory Materials
Library program coordinator Deena Meade had different types of sensory toys for kids with autism to cope better in the skill classes. She had several on display during the LC Board of Trustees Meeting. The skills classes give kids a chance to learn how to be social in the classroom and use the resources the library gives. They are filling in the gaps for children who have not started school yet, Ms. Meade said. For more information reach out to Deena Meade at the library.
Latest Minutes
Financials
Public Comments
Four ladies, who were not named, came to the meeting to voice their opinion over recent policy changes that will affect the kid’s programs at the library. One of them was a representative of a National Autistic Awareness group. During one particular day one lady’s child marked on the wall with a crayon. He’s not even 2 yrs old, the mother was preoccupied with her 3 yr old, she said.
She explained that she can’t be in both classes for her kids because they are in different age groups. The employees of the library notified the woman that her children could no longer attend classes at the library, she said.
In the meantime, there are more crayon marks on the wall, so she wants to know if the other parents were told that there child can no longer attend.
The lady then asked for a meeting with someone to discuss the matter and was told they were out for lunch and would be back at 1PM. At 1PM, the lady said she was told she could not meet with her (Deena Meade) after all.
So, she asked to speak with the person in charge over everyone and was told she (director Carlie Pelfrey) could not meet with them, either. During all that time she’s wondering how many other parents or grandparents will be going through the same thing.
This parent now can’t bring her child to the library skills or preschool skills because of it’s behavior.
Mrs. Pelfrey sent the is message after the story was posted Wednesday:
(Clarification from Ms. Pelfrey: No one, adult or child, addressed in the public comments has been or ever was banned from the library. For clarification, the guidelines for Preschool Skills were amended so children not registered for the class or those under the age of three are not permitted in the classroom during the program. These amendments were made to address safety concerns for staff and patrons. The two library policies have been approved since 2015. These were amended to address cleaning fees and clarification of service animals.)
President Marc Lester tried to console the lady when things got heated, and said he will hold himself responsible to solve this problem. (For more information on this story watch the LC Public Library meeting on Facebook Live HERE)
AGENDA
1. January 2024 Board Minutes – Motion by Susie Chambers 2nd by James Allen Pauley Barker. None Opposed.
2. December 2023 Financials – Motion by Lennie Collins 2nd by Susie Chambers. None Opposed.
3. Policy Amendments – The first policy will be for Behavior Guidelines with a Motion by Marc Lester 2nd by Lennie Collins. The second policy is the Unattended Child Policy with a Motion by Marc Lester and 2nd by James Allen Pauley Barker.
4. Vacant Trustee Offices – Tabled until next months meeting.
5. Staff Reviews/COL Adjustments – Tabled until next months meeting.
6. Board Update – Director Pelfrey gave the Board of Trustees a Board Update for January 2024 totals.
7. Public Comment –
8. Adjourn – Motion by Susie Chambers 2nd by Lennie Collins.
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The next regular scheduled library meeting will be on Monday March 11, 2024 at 12PM at the Lawrence County Public Library, 102 W. Main Street, Louisa, Kentucky. The Public is Welcome!
Did you even listen to what was said while you were there? This girl is so entitled and every thing about this is WRONG. She just needs to own up to not watching her kids while she’s in public. I’m part of her “mom friend group” as she calls us. Nah, she just wants to run around flaunting her autism card. Sorry honey, you don’t get treated specially because your child has autism. GROW UP.
News flash autism does get special treatment. Kids with thos disability need more attention then a regular kid. You’ve clearly never had to deal with it and explains the bigotry towards it. The simple fact of what it comes down to is that not everyone has a babysitter that can watch their other kids . The library is simply punishing the masses over a crayon mark that came off in seconds with a magic eraser. Instead of punishing why not take steps to helps those parents that need the help so each child gets a chance to learn and grow. People with autism are some of the kindest people you would ever meet maybe you could learn a lesson from them and take the time to read their “autism card” and educate yourself. Grow up and Do better!
Hi friend. I just want you to know you’re exactly right. Everyone is entitled to respect and bodily autonomy. A childs autism diagnosis is not a reason to be give our fellow man/woman love and respect. It’s a reasonable duty of good and decent people. If you’re a friend of the mother maybe you should speak your concerns as an adult to their face?
Imagine being the type of person who would say this? The room is a child proofed room and she was helping her other child with the class. He didn’t cut someone’s hair he made a yellow crayon mark on a wall. It was never that serious. My kids have drawn on the walls at each and every age. So I keep magic erasers around because that’s literally something that kids who are learning do. It would be CRAZY to think that the parents that go to these programs can get childcare for a 30-45 minute program. Attendance affects funding I’m sure, what if nobody can come with their children? I don’t think anyone is wanting special treatment for their children having autism! Just grace!
I don’t believe that anyone said that a child or adult has been banned from the library. I do believe the concern was that a parent was told to not bring her child (toddler) back to Preschool Skills because of marks made on the wall with a crayon. Isn’t that the same as being banned from Preschool Skills? I do believe that those crayon marks could easily be removed with a magic eraser. I would like to know of any child that is learning that has not marked on a wall or table (this is part of learning)? If money is the issue of cleaning the marks off I will volunteer my time to go in and clean those marks off as I know others would probably do also. I understand the reason for policy changes was due to safety issues – what harm can a crayon cause? Get real!!!!!!
It’s the kid that she’s not watching and isn’t old enough to be in the preschool class in the first place that marked on the walls. The mom thinks she is entitled and didn’t get her way. Poor thing didn’t her get way. Sucks when you think you’re above the rules and someone brings you back down to reality, doesn’t it?
Let Mom clean the marks. Just watch your damn kid ! Hey 2.6 million in the black. How many taxpayer funded services run with that much laying around?
Proper protocol would be give everyone a letter of the new rules and if not abiding then let the parent know that there are rules for everyone to follow. That way k s person is not singled out. It may have been done that way idk if so
Whoever you are you should message me on Facebook instead of hiding behind an anonymous name. I’m assuming you’re a mother. It sounds like to me you’re a great mother that is able to stay right on top of your children. I applaud you because you’re a better mother than myself. I’m not trying to flash my son’s autism diagnosis. I’m trying to advocate. If you would message me I would gladly answer any questions and provide information about autism. I’m asking the library to change policies to help moms that can’t afford childcare or someone to watch their younger siblings during this time. By not allowing siblings in the room this is taking the opportunity from these preschool age children. It’s not these kids fault they have siblings. During the time Hudson was marking on the walls I was showing Cole’s ABA therapist how his Occupational therapist showed me to encourage him to color. So was my eyes off Hudson yes. Does Hudson know better to not mark on the walls no. He is 20 months old. He is on the waiting list at Nationalwide Children’s Hospital to be test for Autism.
If you’re a mom in our group then you will know there isn’t one mom that is better than the next. You should know that no one’s child is perfect and I’m sure if you ask anyone in the class they will say that their child has done something they shouldn’t have done. You know what that is okay because kids are kids but no mother should be belittled by a text or have a phone pushed in their face telling them they are being recorded. We all have our own paths of motherhood and some are more difficult than others. Does every mother do something better the next absolutely but it doesn’t mean that mother should be scrutinized for her flaws. Mothers should empower each other and help when they see another mom struggling.
For starters, the class at the library that this article is about is a class that you had to pre-register for. A class for 3-5 year olds. The child that was asked not to be in the classroom during class time was a child that isn’t even registered for the class to begin with. The mother is manipulating and trying to make it appear as if the library is discriminating against her son because he has autism. When in fact, the child that is diagnosed with autism has never been asked not to be in the class. The other caregivers of the children in the classes were also asked to not bring in kids that aren’t registered for the class, as well. The mother’s argument is that she doesn’t have a babysitter. But this is a free program the library offers up. Not everyone always qualifies for every one of the classes. Finding a babysitter is on the caregivers, not the library staff. If you can’t manage it, don’t sign up for or go to the classes, it’s as simple as that, and the whole situation should have ended there. But, this was followed up by the mother catching some library staff out at a store shopping and confronting them about the situation, probably in an aggressive manner. Then there was the board meeting, but the mother didn’t get her needs catered to, so she schemes up a plan to send her son into class alone without herself or an aid (and the aid is always there any other time), knowing he would have issues adjusting to the situation. When her son cried and tried to get out of the room to get to his mommy to feel okay, she would reach her hand in the door and push him back in. She was trying to prove a point at the expense of her own child. Once library staff came to the realization that they weren’t going to be able to console the child, and the mother refused to step in and help, the family was asked to leave for the day, not for forever. In which, the mother storms into the classroom and causes a scene in front of the other caregivers and children, yelling and letting everyone know that she was asked to leave. She caused chaos and scared the children, and possibly some caregivers. She tried to intimidate “Not Your Business” (see above in the comments). And she keeps trying to call out everyone who has posted in this article anonymously wanting them to show their identity. So, what’s she going to do once she finds out their identity, fight them? Cause that’s the way it appears. This person is starting to show aggressive behaviors in front of other people’s children, a lot of which haven’t been exposed to that type of behavior. And quite frankly, it has become a concern to mothers whether their children are safe in the environment when she is around. Now, we fear that the class is going to be shut down because of one mother that doesn’t know how to get her emotions in check. The mother is the problem, not the children. Hopefully, the mother will be banned and the children can start to feel safe and comfortable in an environment again that they always felt safe in before.
Might want to get some facts straight before posting false statements.
I never should have commented. I apologize.