"Library Diaries" Suit Settled for $57,500

[XLFD]

Money to go to Author's Creditors, Lawyers

According to WMOM's website who broke this story early this morning (the Ludington Daily News finally reported it six hours later at their website). 

A settlement has been reached in the Library Diaries controversy. About four years ago, a fictional book surfaced written by Ann Miketa. It was called the "Library Diaries" and told the fictional story of a small town library. Soon it was discovered that the author was actually a Ludington Library employee. Sally Stern-Hamilton was fired shortly thereafter. Ms. Stern-Hamilton had worked at the library since 1994.

Publications around the United States, including the local newspaper, came to her defense under First Amendment rights. The story then dropped out of sight for several years.

Unexpectedly, a lawsuit was filed in Federal Court last summer claiming that First Amendment rights had been violated. Yesterday the local library board voted to settle the case. According to a letter from the library's director, it has " agreed to mediated settlement with the chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee for the Western District of Michigan, the owner of the assets" of the fired employee. The board is instructing the insurance company to pay $57,500 to finally close up the case.

The money will be distributed to the creditors of the Stern-Hamilton bankruptcy. The library's attorney said the cost of pursuing the case would be more than the proposed settlement.

Ironically the "Library Diaries" by Ann Miketa has become something of a cult classic locally. Some copies of the book are fetching up to $50 on Amazon.

http://www.wmom.fm/

 

We have visited this infringement on the restriction of basic freedoms a local public agency placed on a private individual before here .   Now that it's settled, what is your opinion on the suit, and the settlement, and the sad bankruptcy of the plaintiff.

 

[Willy]

I wonder if the settlement will be paid from tax dollars. Ludington has a real failing when it comes to leadership and decision making. I'm wondering if local leaders make these decisions [firings and banishings] on their own or do they consult legal council. If they make decisions without finding out the legal ramifications of their decisions then new leadership is badly needed [in my opinion it's needed anyway]. If the legal adviser is giving them bad advice then finding a good attorney is very important. Either way, bad decisions seem to be the norm for "Ludington on the Lake". I know one thing, I will not support any millage increases for the library until they start using the library as a "library" and not as a community center.

[AQUAMAN]

A totally illegal infringement of the First Amendment Rights to American citizens is a total embarrassment and criminal act by the Mason County Officials imho. To force this woman into Bankruptcy to prove she is right, is just WRONG! On all counts and with any sort of appreciation and respect for the Country of the USA as a whole. I guess the Constitution is up for sale for a measly $57K these days, eh?  That's what the MCC says with this statement in hooligans. This is a GROSS INJUSTICE to any that may befall this kind of settlement for a suit so important! God Save Ann Mikela, and all that follow in her type footsteps. This is the kind of book that needs to come to National attention, for all of us that believe this USA needs drastic adjustments in legalize. Or we must just shut up, and become slaves of this type behavior into the future.  

[XLFD]

Almost as bad as this infringement on Ms. Stern-Hamilton's rights, savings, and employment is the effect the whole ordeal likely had on her creativity and her life in total.  It's a bummer having your rights taken away on specious grounds.

 

[snide]

I hope everyone will join me in not only boycotting the Library, and it's fundraisers, , but also calling for the Library Director(Robert Dickson) to be fired or called on to resign..........

[Willy]

I made up my mind a long time ago not to support the library downtown because of a run in I had with the director. I was doing some research on a computer because mine had crashed and I was trying to concentrate with all the noisy children and adults using the library. The meeting rooms at the top of the stairs near the front entrance were full of adults talking and laughing as if they were in a restaurant. The room at the bottom of the steps was full of pre-schoolers yelling and shouting. On the west side of the library in the upper level, children were running around and screaming. I confronted the director and asked why he permitted this type of behavior in a public library. He said he considers the library a community center, not a library, to which I said, "what"?  I told him I hope there won't be any millage requests for the library anytime soon because he wasn't getting my support. He just shrugged and said that this is the way people wanted the library to be used.

[AQUAMAN]

Wth is a Library for if you can't get some peace and quiet to investigate, study, read, use the computer, and otherwise, just go about your own business without the disturbances of normalcy outside it's corridors? I mean, we have all grown up using a library with very strict rules of conduct and quiet, that to respect the rights of others, and to observe a reserved and private setting. Most people going to the library are there for a purpose of seeking more knowledge and don't need the interferences of kids and likewise adults that can carry on their antics outside the library, even if it's on the same property, but please, outside with the noise. Methinks and will investigate the current policies at other out of town libraries, just to see if we are different now, or in tune with all libraries policies. I obviously agree with others annoyed by this drastic change in what is now allowed, as it is totally impolite and obscene to use the library as a place of fun, games, and do whatever you please conduct. The same goes for higher end restaurants that cater to adults with a culinary zest for great food.