580580Impact of loss of Marie Smith
from library begins
–‘Let’s Talk about Water!’ cancelled
By Patric Hedlund, TME  (September 23, 2016 issue)
“Let’s Talk about Water!” which was to be held at the Frazier Park Branch Library this week “has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances,” interim library supervisor Amy Schmidt announced to Frazier Park patrons last week.

Marie Smith, Frazier Park’s regular  librarian, had been working to develop the panel for the community. But due to a conflict with Gunnar Kuepper, a Frazier Park resident who has been using the Mountain Communities’ library and its internet resources as his private GBU Mountain News business office for nearly three years, Smith has been “temporarily reassigned,” management said.

Sued and evicted
Kuepper has been sued and evicted from business and residential properties in Los Angeles and Kern Counties by private owners for failure to pay rent in the past. Now his use of the public library facility as his center of operations has created new conflicts. Kuepper is said to have circulated a petition to try to remove Smith from her job. Attempts to reach Kuepper for comment were not answered by press time.

Protests being sent
Those who are protesting Marie Smith’s reassignment are writing letters to Kern County Director of Libraries Nancy Kerr <Nancy.Kerr@kernlibrary.org>, Regional Branch Supervisor Sherry Wade <Sherry.Wade@kernlibrary.org> and Kern County Supervisor David Couch <couchd@co.kern.ca.us> .

“We  had to cancel because we were unable to form a panel with adequate time for them to read the book and prepare for the discussion,” Amy Schmidt explained.

The panel was to be formed around The Big Thirst: The Secret Life & Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishman, the One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern selection for this fall.

SOS: ‘Grave threat to our library’
Frazier Park, CA— September 16, 2016—The Mountain Enterprise, page 4:

Frazier Park’s Branch Librarian Marie Smith has been temporarily reassigned due to complaints from a single individual, according to the Frazier Park Friends of the Library in a letter circulated this week.

The complainer is “the man who has used the library daily for three years as a free office” to run his online publishing business at taxpayers’ expense, said an angry library patron.

Supervisor David Couch has often been seen with ‘the man in black’ beside him during visits around the mountain, which causes county employees and community members to say they feel vulnerable to intimidation and bullying by the man.

“This situation is both alarming and of grave concern,” the board of the Friends of the Library wrote this week to library management.

They are protesting the absence of the respected professional whose work has made this library the center of the community.

Sent September 12 to Kern County Library management:

As the Board of the Frazier Park Library Branch of Friends of the Library we have become alarmed by the displacement (hopefully temporary) of the Branch Librarian, Ms. Marie Smith.

This reassignment is apparently in response to the allegations of a single individual in the community. We are deeply concerned about the disruption to our library and to the community resulting from these allegations.

Without full knowledge of the allegations, but with a firsthand knowledge of Marie Smith, we offer these observations:

•Marie has been an exemplary Branch Supervisor. We have worked closely with her since she joined the Frazier Park Branch.

•She has developed many activities that engage the community.

•Through her efforts the Frazier Park Branch has truly become a community center. Our participation in the library activities is predicated on Marie’s leadership.

•A rapid resolution of these issues is essential. This is viewed by us as outrageous and we expect that the Kern County Library Administration will quickly resolve the issues and attempt to reassure Marie Smith that her performance is valued and appreciated.

•We view this apparently unwarranted attack on Marie as a threat to our understanding of the Kern County Library System and are eager for reassurance that this type of bullying will not be tolerated.

Please resolve this issue with dispatch and restore the atmosphere in which the Frazier Park Branch of the Kern County Library System can continue to thrive.

Judith A. Brunk, President
Frazier Park Branch Friends of the Library

Photo captions:

Friends of the Library are protesting removal of Frazier Park’s Librarian,
Marie Smith.

To see full stories with photos, please purchase a copy of the newspaper at many locations (click this link for a list) throughout the Mountain Communities.

Or, have your newspaper delivered via mail and include internet access. Just call 661-245-3794. Classified ads are FREE to paid subscribers! See front page at www.mountainenterprise.com for details.

See their full letter in this week’s issue of The Mountain Enterprise (on newsstands now, or in your mailbox if you subscribe today at 661.245.3794).

This is part of the September 16, 2016 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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