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Sumner County committee appoints Steve Wasilowski to library board amid debate over curation
Summary
The committee unanimously approved Steve Wasilowski for a three-year term on the Sumner County library board after a heated discussion about recent comments by a prior nominee and broader disagreement over library curation policies; commissioners cited court precedent and urged protection of children in public collections.
Steve Wasilowski, a Hendersonville resident and applicant, was appointed to a three-year term on the Sumner County Library Board by the Committee on Committees at its February 2025 meeting. The committee voted unanimously after several commissioners criticized recent remarks by a previous nominee and discussed the county's approach to library collections.
County Commissioner Jeremy Mansfield said the committee should respect local curation authority and referenced federal appellate precedent while urging protection of minors. "A library has every right to curate their policy just like an art museum does," Mansfield said, adding he was "definitely disturbed last week to hear about some of the comments from Miss Parker." Mansfield argued that curation decisions do not infringe a patron's First Amendment right to read books the library does not hold.
Applicants and commissioners described differing perspectives during the public-comments period and committee discussion. Wasilowski told the committee he moved to the area about four years ago, co-founded a construction robotics startup and has young children; he said he attended a recent library board meeting and wants to help "facilitate" discussions and preserve libraries as community resources. Another applicant, Christian Maker, also addressed the committee earlier in the meeting to express interest in a library board vacancy.
A commissioner who supported Wasilowski said the community needs new participants and praised Wasilowski's values and willingness to work. A motion to approve Wasilowski's appointment was made, seconded and carried by a unanimous voice vote.
Committee members framed the appointment as a response to recent controversy involving library nominees and comments at a prior board meeting; they urged that future appointees reflect the community's values and protect children from what some speakers described as inappropriate materials for minors. The committee recorded the appointment without additional conditions and noted that other library-board seats will come up for future consideration.
