Woburn Public Library Trustees Defend Director To City Council

WOBURN, MA — Two Woburn Public Library trustees wrote to Woburn City Council defending the library's director, Bonnie Roalsen, from recent criticism ignited by the library's proposal to lay off or furlough employees.

Carol Seitz and Mary Hines both sent communications to the council ahead of Tuesday's virtual meeting in support of the director.

The city and the library union have been in a labor dispute for the last month over potential cuts, with staff members seeking public support. The library plans to reopen Aug. 3, but staff members said that their jobs are not secure. City officials have not responded to requests for comment from Patch.

The two communications address in part the potential cuts as well as the Friends of Woburn Public Library's decision to disband. They also go into more direct attacks on the director, which have been aired on social media.

"Sadly, there appears to be a coordinated campaign of misinformation about current library operations, which face unprecedented challenges at a time of a global, deadly pandemic," Seitz wrote. "I am glad to have the opportunity to address the issues about which I have direct knowledge."

Seitz wrote that staffing at city-funded departments in Woburn and elsewhere will need to be downsized amid the economic crisis and noted that the Friends' decision is "their own decision," which she finds "petulant."

She went on to address a claim that the library's circulation desk was "destroyed," saying instead that it was reconfigured into two places.

" That anyone should have to spend any time counteracting the placement of furniture—at a time when we have far greater concerns combatting a deadly virus—is absurd," Seitz wrote.

"Councilors, we have a beautiful, historic library," she continued. "Now we must align our library’s programming and staff to complete the vision of the library meeting a 21st century mission. And we are extremely lucky: We have the right library director to make that happen, BonnieRoalsen.

"Unfortunately, Bonnie has been the subject of unfair, unwarranted, and libelous attacks on social media at the hands of people who should know better. This must stop. I am disgusted at the level of vitriol I am seeing online. Woburn residents deserve better than this, as does our library director."

Hines's letter to the council is shorter, focusing on the library's response to the pandemic.

"When we hired Director Bonnie Roalsen as the director of our newly renovated and expanded library after an intensive search, I was convinced that we had found exactly the right person to provide leadership for the future," Hines wrote. "I am now even more convinced."

Hines argued that Roalsen's response to the pandemic has shown "her ability to think outside the box and respond to new and changing situations."

"I have full confidence in Bonnie’s leadership and hope that this negative situation can be resolved so that she will not have to deal with destructive and personal attacks being spread through the media," Hines wrote.

The council does not have any other library-related items on their agenda for Tuesday's meeting.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.