Budget committee approves teen librarian position for county library; trustees and staff urged better communications

The budget committee approved an operations budget amendment for the Maury County Library that included one new teen services librarian, after trustees and commissioners asked questions about process and board notification.

Library director Megan presented two requested positions: a teen services librarian to build and run teen programming and a second position focused on adult services and technology training. Trustees told the committee they had not formally voted on or recorded the staffing requests in their minutes, and several trustees and commissioners urged the library board and director to improve formal notifications to trustees before budget requests are submitted.

Committee members recognized the library’s plan to create a dedicated teen space in the planned renovation and said a teen services librarian would be the priority hire. The committee amended the request to fund only the teen services librarian (rather than both positions) and approved the library’s operating budget with that single new hire. The director said temporary closure during renovation was expected to be phased and that staff would keep services available at Mount Pleasant and through alternative locations.

The committee asked for clearer trustee‑director coordination; one county attorney and other commissioners referenced state library statutes that make the board responsible for library affairs but the director responsible for day‑to‑day operations. The committee approved the amended library request and directed library staff to keep trustees informed while the renovation proceeds.