On Closing Day, Supporters of Conley Library Show Up In Full Force
By Tolu Olorunda
MUNCIE, IN - They knew the reality they were up against. They were aware of the dire circumstances. They understood the ramifications facing them. Still, Vivian Conley Library supporters showed up in full force, protesting what they consider an unjust decision, rendered May 18, 2009 by the Muncie Public Library (MPL) Board with unanimity, which ordered the closing of the Whiteley-based branch June 1st.
The protest, organized by Friends of the Conley Library, in front of the Kennedy branch, lasted more than 3 hrs, gradually picking up steam as more people joined in waving signs, holding pickets, and informing curious motorists to “Help Save Conley Library.”
Many of them honked as they rode by, trying to affirm varying forms of solidarity with the cause, but many also missed the point, thinking it was a donation drive where dollar bills could be dropped into hats or baskets.
Despite any minor setbacks, the protesters were there to make two things clear: They haven’t giving up. They “still disapprove” of the Board’s decision.
Street protests are not the only measures being pursued, they assured. Litigations and injunctions are being assessed. Conley supporters are willing to do anything that brings back their community treasure—a testament to the degree of loss its closing indicates.
Although the majority of protesters were Black, they insist it’s hardly a racial issue. Many Whites and Hispanics also live on the Southside of town. Conley has fed the intellectual appetites of all ethnicities, in its three decade run. For this reason, some opponents of Conley’s closing find it odd that more people, of diverse backgrounds, haven’t taken up the opportunity to preserve its legacy.
But their fight is far from over. Against all odds, they plan to keep struggling until Conley is reopened. After all, it’s all they’ve been doing, since being told, earlier this year, that Conley was scheduled to fall under MPL’s budget axe.
When informed of this reality, Conley supporters went into rescue-mode. Organizers had no trouble recruiting over 25 people ready to volunteer their services, to prevent the scheduled closing. As told, more than $20,000 was also tabled by local businesses and churches who treasured Conley too much to see it vanish from the community forever. Conley supporters also began negotiating—unsuccessfully—
Grants and donations were proposed, but they were soon told that any money collected couldn’t go into a specific Conley account. It would have to be usable by the other library branches. Volunteer-operated services were also suggested, but the Board, again, turned down the offer, arguing that the Social Security numbers of customers would be exposed to everyday citizens, who could use it nefariously. Conley supporters then asked if one MPL employee could oversee the transactions, and leave the other services at the mercy of volunteers. The Board declined.
The MPL Board has made clear its intentions to achieve financial stability in these unpromising economic times, and closing Conley is one of the ways it sees that promise being fulfilled. Many reasons were put forth for the closing of Conley, but above all was the notion of a low-circulation rate—of Books, and other materials. Closing Conley, they argued, was “very practical given its declining circulation and close proximity to Kennedy”—two contentions vigorously disputed by supporters. “In 2008, Conley circulation equaled only 2% of all MPL use,” the Board said.
But Conley supporters are hardly amused. They insist that the premises upon which Conley is being closed hold no validity when it takes nothing less than 25 minutes for a Whiteley customer to come across town with the Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS)—the primary commercial transportation source.
Carla Haskins finds it hard to locate the logic in closing the least costly library branch in Muncie. MPL’s anticipated expenses data shows that Conley was expected to cost $145,932 in 2009, compared to Carnegie ($383,364), Kennedy ($1,205,922), and Maring Hunt ($2,614,928). Haskins is especially curious as to why the Board suddenly decided to go against its previous decision to close Carnegie, now deciding to operate it 3 days a week.
Even before Conley was scheduled to be closed, she says users had always experienced difficulties that no one, who mattered, seemed willing to pay strict attention to. Roof leaks had to become common before money was provided for repairs. And even still, she maintains none other than the children would feel the loss of Conley more. In the summer time, it was an annual routine for Huffer Memorial Children’s Center and Precious Hearts Development, to send its kids over to Conley.
Closing Conley, she warns, would signify a great “loss to the community.”
Many others agree with her, which brings to question why the Mayor of Muncie, Sharon McShurley, is yet to actively engage this issue. But Conley supporters aren’t merely waiting for lightning to strike. They have, on several occasions, reached out to her. In return, she continually affirmed that this fight wasn’t hers.
This fight might not be hers, but the security of every part of Muncie is. And the message the protestors hoped to send, is that the Southside is just as worthy a part as the Northside is.
I spoke with three Conley supporters who, in their individual and collective ways, are doing all they can to see Conley reopened again.
These are the “Voices from Conley.”
“DOLORES RHINEHART”
For how long have you been visiting Conley?
I was born and raised in that community. And I didn’t visit it as often as I should have, but it was a convenient place to be when I needed it.
On any given day, how many people go to Conley?
Well, I couldn’t tell you exactly because, right now, I don’t live in that area, and I don’t know how many are participating. But there are 450 kids that go to Longfellow, there are 150 kids that go to Huffer [Memorial Children’s Center]—that’s in that vicinity—and, then, that’s not counting the apartments that’s there, and the smaller children, senior citizens, or maybe even the parents might want to go.
When did this problem arise—that Conley was to be closed because there was shortage of funds?
Well, in 2008, the people representing Conley were told that it wouldn’t be closed. And so, they come up with this idea in 2009, around March, that they were going to close it, because of the funds.
What was the community’s response following that decision?
Well, they think it’s just terrible, because this is a low-income community, and a lot of the kids don’t have money to catch a bus to go elsewhere, a lot of parents don’t participate in activities for their kids, and so, if you don’t have the money to do things, you don’t get to do [them].
For how long have you been picketing and trying to reverse the decision?
We started about a month ago. We were doing it twice a week, and today is the first day of June, which they say is the last day [for] it to be opened. So, we’re going to picket until something is done.
Conley closed today: What is the next strategy?
We’re going to fight until we can’t fight no more.
There were some suggestions that Conley be made out to be something other than a library—a community center. Are you opposed to that, or do you just think that Conley should remain opened?
Personally, I’m opposed to anything but a Conley Library, because Conley Library means a lot of things: Books, knowledge—and that’s what young people need, along with adults. And it’s needed in that community. And we’re not going to give up. We want that. Any other thing—we won’t be satisfied.
“JAMES BRAGG”
For how long have you been visiting Conley?
I’ve been going to Conley all my life. But they [the Board members] made an advertisement in the newspaper that they were going to close it, and I had to do something. When I found at, I had to step up.
What have you been doing?
I’ve been to every Board meeting. I got appointed to a task-force, to work with the Library, and come up with some alternative plans. We came up with three beautiful ones:
First plan: Stack up with volunteers. [A 20-year retiree from the Library] offered to come back, volunteer her time, coordinate other volunteers, and keep it open. That plan was turned down.
Also, Conley Library is only open from Tuesday to Friday. They took one day away from it, in an effort to save money. So, we [said] to them, “let’s apply your plan to all the other libraries.” The net savings, per day, for the Library, in one year’s time, [would amount to] $598,000.
We offered to privatize [the Library]. We got with some of the churches—who were willing to step up to the plate. We were going to incorporate, and we found out that [with] the church donations and private donations, we could run that Library for $100,000.
So, we had people ready to do that. They told us that we could not put money into a private fund, that it would have to go into the general fund, and that all Libraries would have to [be able] to use it. We have bent over backwards. The only reason why we’re out here, is because no one’s paying attention to us.
What do you plan to do, to undo the Board’s decision?
The city [will have] to recognize that that Library is necessary. That community doesn’t have a whole lot, and to take away what they’ve got, is just not right. I went to the Library last Monday, and was just wondering what the kids thought. They said: “They’re going to close it. We ain’t gon’ have nothing to do this summer.” I said, “Well, what do you think about that?” They said: “They don’t care about us.” That’s what a little girl and two little boys said. That’s the way kids in the neighborhood feel.
“MYRNA ROBERTSON” (Daughter of Vivian Conley)
For how long have you been visiting Conley?
I’ve been going to Conley Library ever since they opened it back up in ‘93. So, I’ve been involved ever since 1993. We had a fight approximately 15 years ago, where they said they were going to close it at that time. Then, we started another fight to keep it open.
Can you talk about the struggle that went into opening Conley—what your mom had to do to get it opened?
It’s so strange, because they built the library—the Muncie Public Board. However, when my mother died in ’93, it was three representatives in Muncie [who said that] through every work she (Vivian Conley) had done, that they felt it was appropriate to name the library after her. That’s when they got money from the state to purchase a library, and then later on, purchased the lot next to it. So, they did it, basically, in honor of her.
And there hasn’t been any opposition ever since?
About 10-15 yrs. ago, they [the Library Board] wanted to close it. And, then, the city fought to keep it open. They came up with the money in the year of 2000.
Why did the Board want to close it?
Well, they keep saying only 3.7% of people use that Library. They said it was such a low number. Then, they said only adults used it—wasn’t that many children using it; which was a contradiction, however, because one of the directors of Huffer Memorial Center, which is just down the street, raised her hand and said: “I beg to differ. We bring the children over.” So, my point is: They looked at it as, “How many books were being checked out?” And I told them that they couldn’t go by that, because sometimes I would go in there, sometimes just to sit down, sometimes just to rest, because, on my launch hour, I just need to catch my breath. I didn’t check out a book, but I was there, using the facility.
Conley has been closed today. What’s next? Where does the fight go?
The fight goes [on], until they can come back and really give me the real reasons, or the real figures, or the real budgets, why it was closed. Then, actually sit down at the table and talk to me. Then, sit down and let me say: “Now, can I go out and get a grant to keep it open. Can I go out and get volunteers.” Sit down and talk to me. Just don’t say what I’m bringing to the table is not going to work.
What have you brought to the table?
We’ve tried to find a financier. We also talked about grants. We also talked about volunteers. We also talked about cutting the hours, cutting the days. But to completely close it, I don’t think that’s fair. There are [different] ways to look at it, but [we want the Board to] have an open mind to hear and really negotiate on trying to keep it opened. Yes, officially today is June 1st, and officially it is closed, but the fight is not over with. [We’re going to] continue to fight.
Listen to the personal accounts below:
Dolores Rhinehart: http://www.divshare.com/
James Bragg: http://www.divshare.com/
Myrna Robertson: http://www.divshare.com/
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