Erie County Library Advisory Board member resigns over decision to relocate LGBTQ+ book display

A member of the Erie County Library Advisory Board abruptly resigned Friday just days after a book display featuring LGBTQ+ children's books was relocated and later taken down at Blasco Memorial Library.

Bonnie Barthelmes, who was appointed to the board by Erie County Council in April, stepped down after Erie County Public Library Director Karen Pierce directed staff to move the display from the entrance of Blasco's children's library, County Councilman Terry Scutella told the Erie Times-News on Tuesday.

"She's very pro-library. And she just felt if she stayed, she'd be a hypocrite to the people this affected," Scutella said of Barthelmes, who was his appointment. "I told her that before she resigned, whatever move she decides to take, I was in support of her."

Barthelmes could not be reached for comment.

Display ordered to be moved: Read With Pride display ordered to be moved from Blasco Library children's section

The resignation marks one of several negative reactions to Pierce's directive, which, according to the administration of Erie County Executive Brenton Davis, came after a "significant number of people" expressed concerns about having LGBTQ+ children's books displayed at the entrance of the children's library.

Librarians opted to take down all displays in the children's library rather than single out the "Read With Pride" display in question. Organizations like the NW Pride Alliance blasted the director's actions, calling it an "outright attempt to censor queer content." A "Bring Back Pride" read-in, organized by the PA Equality Project, was also staged at the children's library on Monday.

Read-in staged at Blasco: Read-in staged at Blasco Memorial Library to restore Read With Pride display

Four members of the Library Advisory Board also released a statement Monday voicing their disappointment.

Davis told Library Advisory Board to not comment or intervene

The four board members — Quyen Aoh, Adam Groves, Kara Murphy and Ann Rosenthal — called for the return of the display to its original location and voiced concern about how library materials celebrating diverse communities will be presented moving forward.

It was a statement that Davis had warned them not to make.

In an email obtained by the Times-News that was sent to multiple board members and administration officials, Davis informed the Library Board the weekend prior to the Monday statement that it was "up to the administration to handle the PR and the internal operations."

"We have made the only public statement which will be made regarding this matter," Davis wrote. "Further deliberation will only continue to fan flames unnecessarily. This matter is now considered to be a personnel issue and no further comments will be made. This is common legal practice related to any personnel or any other pending legal matter related to the county."

County Councilwoman Mary Rennie, who formerly served as Erie County Public Library director, said it was the "M.O. of the administration," to not allow anyone under him to comment publicly.

"That speaks volumes in itself," she said. "If you are a professional in your field, why wouldn't you be the one to stand up and say something about what is ethically right or what is professional correct?"

"If you represent what is good, and what is right and what is professional in your field, and you're an expert on that, you have a right — in fact, you have an obligation — to set the record straight."

Seven of the nine members on the Library Advisory Board are appointed by County Council members representing their respective districts. Two are appointed at-large by the county executive. The board evaluates and gives support to the development of library programs, according to the Erie County website.

Board members are volunteers and are not county employees.

County Public Information Officer Chris Carroll said Pride Month displays remain in the library and that it's the administration's policy to "respect everyone who is celebrating but are also sensitive to those who don't wish to celebrate."

Rennie called out the administration's position.

"I don't think everyone realizes that asking to have books 'relocated' is, in fact, censorship," she said. "In doing so, there is a judgement that certain materials might be offensive to some and therefore they should be shielded from them. That's ethically and professionally wrong. Libraries are democracies in action."

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Library Advisory Board member resigns after Pride Month display moved