Speakers urge board to preserve school library space amid reported county library ownership transfer
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Summary
At the listening session, a commenter asked the board to stop converting dedicated school library space, citing a claimed county ownership change effective 09/01/2025 and warning that digital-only reading could harm comprehension.
A community speaker told the Sheridan County School District #3 board it should not repurpose dedicated school library space and raised concerns about an apparent transfer of library ownership to the county.
"I’m here tonight to request that no more of our previously dedicated library space be transformed," Speaker 2 said, adding that "Effective 09/01/2025, Sheridan County Public Library is in full ownership," and that the change raised "gaps in communication and expectations from school staff or the trustees, parents, and the community."
Speaker 2 and others said many students rely on the school library as their primary access to books. "For many children, the school library is their only access to books and without it they're missing out on an entire universe of learning and creativity and imagination," Speaker 2 said, calling the library a potential "recovery engine" for students who have disengaged in class.
The speaker also expressed concern about shifting to digital reading, asserting increased screen time could reduce comprehension and retention. School staff present described plans to increase book circulation and local programming and said they were coordinating with library partners, but the transcript records requests for clearer communication about roles, responsibilities and any formal transfer details.
The board did not record a formal decision during the session; commenters asked for staff to clarify any agreement with the Sheridan County Public Library and to ensure dedicated student-access library services remain in school facilities.