About 12 years ago, official evaluations of the Jackson County Library concluded that the facility was woefully inadequate to meet the needs of our community. Cramped by severe space limitations and an inadequate budget, the facility has continued to deteriorate while plans to renovate, expand and/or relocate were repeatedly postponed due to the absence of appropriate funding. In addition, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners continued to relegated the library’s need to “the back burner” as they dealt with what they considered to be “more pressing priorities.”

However, this state of affairs abruptly changed a few weeks ago when the Jackson County commissioners acknowledged that they have tentatively endorsed plans to construct a new library at Southwestern Community College. Taken by surprise, local citizens (including the Sylva Herald) immediately requested additional information. Who had made this decision, and when had it been made? In response, the commissioners assured the public that all of the prerequisite planning had been made in conjunction with SCC and the Fontana Regional Library after a lengthy period of planning. Under the press of demands for more specific information, the commissioners scheduled a public meeting at SCC for last Thursday (May 22 at 6 p.m.). At that time the proposed new facility would be discussed and public comment (limited to three minutes per speaker) would be welcomed.

Within days, a grassroots organization, KOLD (Keep Our Library Downtown) announced opposition to a plan that would move the library from its current location. Petitions appeared in many of the local businesses and a vigorous letter-writing campaign was initiated. Sylva’s mayor, Brenda Oliver, announced the town board’s opposition to the proposed relocation. KOLD posters appeared opposing the “combined usage” library while the “letters to the editor” section of the Herald expanded in order to accommodate individual opinions on the issue, pro and con.

For the Jackson Citizens (approximately 200) who assembled at the Myers Auditorium at SCC last Thursday to discuss the proposed, controversial “combined use” library, the events were certainly well orchestrated. SCC had its act together. A huge screen at the front of the room provided a visual agenda for the audience, and the assembled coalition of SCC dignitaries, Jackson County commissioners and the administrators of Fontana Regional Library sat in a unified block in a section flanking the stage and facing the audience. From the time that Stacy Buchanan called the meeting to order until the last heartfelt speech four hours later, events moved with a kind of stately, predestined precision.

Aided by an impressive set of “visual aids,” SCC’s President Groves presented a slick tour of things to come. The audience was treated to an overview of the “campus of the future” and looked at aerial views of the college, the county, Western North Carolina and the state. While Groves adroitly manipulated a tiny red dot that skated and soared over maps, highways and extensive listings of funds, populations and charts that compared the meager and inadequate resources of our present library to the abundant possibilities posed by the six million dollar facility-to-be, the audience sat like obedient, attentive students. Performing like Leopold Stokowski conducting “Flight of the Bumblebee,” Groves made his little laser dot race through an awesome assemblage of images: A Wellness Center, a Senior Aging Center, classrooms, parking lots, periodical collections, helpful suggestions for effectively utilizing the old library, underground passages and even a dramatic campus waterfall that fell in a picturesque cascade amid phalanxes of buildings, parks and greenery. All in all, it was a vision of a kind of academic Eden presented with technical skill. Unfortunately, the accompanying narrative was curiously bland and boring.

Next, came the testimonials. Dutifully, the designated representatives filed forward to endorse the proposed facility. Gail Findlay, the director of Fontana Regional Library, spoke of the combined use facility as “a dream realized,” and gave a history of the planning and dedicated work that has preceded this venture. Michael Cartwright, the current librarian of the Jackson County Library, presented his credentials and gave his commitment to making this facility a reality. Finally, after one and a half hours of carefully prepared facts, endorsements and projections of anticipated rewards, the combined entities of SCC, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners and the Fontana Regional Library rested their case.

Essentially, the evidence appeared to be overwhelmingly in favor of the combined-use facility. Who could argue with such a ponderous, united front? Well, in fact, the majority of the 40 speakers who now rose to speak found the proposed facility unacceptable.

For almost two hours, an amazingly diverse roster of speakers expressed their concerns. Local business owners, teachers, retired librarians, the elderly, children, writers, summer residents, attorneys and housewives — all spoke with conviction and feeling. Although the issues and reasons were varied, a common theme emerged. Leave the library downtown where it is valued as an essential part of our community. Without the aid of visual images or technology, the speakers elicited attention by their sincerity. On behalf of KOLD, Joyce Moore presented the compiled petitions, which opposed the closing of the current library and noted that the 2,400 signatures represented 10 percent of the registered voters of Jackson County.

There was also another recurring issue that became increasingly apparent as these individuals rose to speak. Again, and again, the question came: Who made this decision and when was it made? How did this multi-faceted plan evolve without the public’s input? Although SCC and the commissioners made references to “a task force” that had been instrumental in putting this plan together, who was on it? Why had this intensive process been conducted without the knowledge of the media and/or the public and most of the staff of the library?

However, this public hearing did not provide the opportunity for debate. There were no question and answer sessions. In essence, SCC, the commissioners and Fontana Regional Library presented the facts. The attending public gave their opinion. We are left with conjecture about the reason for the covert nature of the plan’s origin. The purpose in denying the citizens of Jackson County “due process” or a role in participating in the planning that led to this $6 million dollar facility may possibly be reduced to this: Public participation was perceived as irrelevant or as counterproductive. Perhaps the architects of this venture decided to omit “public input” for the sake of convenience and efficiency. Why impede action by inviting controversy? However, the consequences of that omission may have far-reaching effects.

As the audience filed out of Myers Auditorium following Stacy Buchanan’s final assurance that the commissioners would certainly consider the public’s opinions in reaching their final decision, many stood in the parking lot discussing what had happened. In general, a feeling of frustration and uncertainty prevailed. “I think they made up their minds a long time ago,” said one citizen. Nothing we said will change it.” Another noted, “Well, I’m disillusioned. This spectacle reminds me of that statement that was made in the Watergate hearings. Each time I see those people in the future, I’ll wonder, ‘What did he know and when did he know it.’”

(Gary Carden is a writer and storyteller who lives in Sylva. He can be reached gcarden498@aol.com)