ST. MARYS — The Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library’s lease is safe for another year, following community uproar and legal pressure from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas.
The Saint Marys City Commission voted to extend the lease, without restrictions, during a meeting Tuesday night. The lease renewal was up for debate because the library had refused to accept a renewal clause asking for the removal of all LGBTQ and socially divisive books from the shelves.
Judith Cremer, the library director, said she was relieved by the renewal, though she didn’t understand some of the claims made by commissioners at earlier meetings, referencing their claims that many parents were angry at the library. Cremer said community response to the library has always been positive.