An outrage is afoot in Nevada County. Rick Haffey, County Executive Officer, is attempting to turn the running of our public libraries over to a private, for profit, corporation out of Maryland. Not only will this affect our librarians, if they are rehired by this corporation, by taking away their county pensions and health benefits, but it will also affect all of us who use the libraries.

Who knows what kinds of changes will occur, but be warned there will be changes ... the words “for profit” guarantee that!

All of us who since childhood have thought of our public libraries as magic places where one can borrow books and acquire knowledge, all of the students who use the libraries, all of the mothers and children that frequent these facilities need to be aware of what is happening. The county is attempting to rush this privatization through when there is no need for it. Citizens of Nevada County, “Storm the Bastille” and let your supervisors and Rick Haffey know that this is not acceptable. Keep our libraries public!

John Fletcher

and Irene Nicolas

Grass Valley