Sumner County meeting stalls; public voices split over library collection policy, accessibility and proposed board cut

The Sumner County Library Board did not conduct official business at its Oct. 20 meeting after several board members canceled and a quorum was not present, but roughly a half-dozen residents used the public-comment period to contest a proposed collection-development policy and a separate resolution to reduce the library board’s size.

The board chair (name not provided in the meeting transcript) opened the meeting and said the board had lost its quorum because “Shannon Bergdorf, Commissioner Bergdorf, Tracy Parker and Pumquoy emailed saying that they were not gonna be able to make it,” and later added that the lack of a quorum meant “we cannot do any official business.” The chair nonetheless invited public comment and said speakers would be limited to three minutes.

The central dispute among speakers concerned a draft collection-development policy under which, according to comments at the meeting, some transgender-themed books placed in children’s and young-adult sections had been pulled in February 2025 and were under reconsideration. Elizabeth Broadway, a Portland resident and member of the LGBTQ community, said restricting such titles would also reduce access for adults with low literacy and for readers with dyslexia. “You’re removing access to them as well because they can’t understand,” Broadway said, adding that many adults read below grade level and rely on library material written at accessible reading levels.

Beth Williamson, who identified herself as a library professional specializing in accessibility, told the meeting that a clause treating accessible-format copies (large print, audio, captioned or tactile editions) as duplicates under a 3-physical/1-electronic copy limit would reduce access for patrons with sensory disabilities. “Large print, audio, captioned, or tactile editions are not extra copies. They’re the only copies that some of our patrons can use,” Williamson said, urging the board to “define accessible formats as separate from the standard copy limits, and add a clear review process to ensure demand from patrons with disabilities.”

Other public speakers framed the dispute differently. Melody Baudry, who said she lives locally, urged protecting children from what she called “explicit and confusing materials” and said a pending resolution to cut the library board from nine to seven members is “simply an attempt to silence conservative voices.” Suzanne Foe, a Gallatin resident, said transgender-themed books are harmful and called for their removal from library shelves. Christy Goodman, who identified herself as Methodist and a longtime resident, urged representation for all viewpoints and said libraries should serve the entire public.

Board governance and timing of related actions also drew comment. The chair said a county commissioner, identified as Commissioner Shannon Bergdorf, had filed a separate resolution to reduce the library board from nine members to seven and that the county commissioners would consider that resolution later the same evening at their 7:00 p.m. meeting. The chair said the resolution’s language could immediately dissolve two expiring terms and thereby shorten current members’ service. The chair said the board previously had been reduced from 11 to nine and described prior resistance when commissioners considered similar changes.

Speakers also raised operational concerns: the chair and commenters said a required maintenance-of-effort (MOE) form must be signed by Oct. 31 for the county libraries to receive state and federal funding; Westmoreland’s library is without a director and an interim director is retiring in December; Hendersonville is operating without a permanent director; and the directors’ job description does not require prior library experience because the state provides training for non-library hires.

No motions were made or votes taken during this meeting because of the lack of quorum. The chair said the board would adjourn; the county commissioners’ consideration of the board-size resolution and any formal action on the collection policy and director hires were left for future meetings.

For residents following the dispute: the chair said the commissioners’ meeting to consider the board-size resolution was scheduled for 7:00 p.m. that evening, and the MOE deadline cited by board members was Oct. 31.