Embattled state
librarian to retireVirginia Lowell's backers say
they are sad to see her leave
State Librarian Virginia Lowell, who has been on leave to care for her ailing mother, has decided to retire when her contract expires June 30.
Lowell recently came under fire for trimming public library hours to cope with budget cuts. But she had the strong backing of the state Board of Education, which hires the librarian and intended to begin the process of renewing her contract yesterday.
"We're very sorry to see Virginia leave," said Karen Knudsen, vice chairwoman of the board. "She took the helm of the library system during a very difficult time and has ably guided it over the past four years through a number of challenges including painful budget cuts."
Lowell took over the state's 50 public libraries in 1998 after her predecessor, Bart Kane, was fired over a contract that allowed a mainland company to select books for Hawaii's libraries.
She has seen her own share of controversy, with critics describing her as inflexible and one state senator even calling for her resignation last March.
But Nick Huddleston, president of the Friends of the Library of Hawaii, said yesterday she is well liked by librarians and has done much to improve the system's operations.
"She's probably been more concerned about running a library well than playing politics," he said. "Unfortunately, the head of the state library probably has to be a politician as well as a librarian."
Lowell has been on family leave in Washington state since April 21 to look after her mother, who recently underwent hip surgery. She will return to Hawaii next week to fulfill the rest of her contract, then retire to Lopez Island, near Seattle, where her mother lives.
Jo Ann Schindler, the library system's second-in-command, will serve as acting state librarian during the search for Lowell's replacement.
In response to administration budget cuts, Lowell decided in March to limit library hours across the state to no more than 40 hours per week over five days, with the days to be chosen by each branch. She described the move as a last resort after years of belt-tightening.
But Gov. Linda Lingle and some legislators complained that she was ignoring community needs in the process, and Sen. Bob Hogue (R, Kaneohe-Kailua) called for her resignation. Yesterday, he said the two had later talked things over, and he felt she had been trying to be "more flexible" lately.
"I wish her only the best," he said. "I applaud anyone who puts their family in front of their own career or personal goals."
Lowell had also caused some consternation when she refused to open Kapolei Library with merely donated books, saying it deserved a proper collection and full staffing. The Legislature finally approved $1 million to stock and equip the library starting this July, and another $1.6 million to fully staff it next year.
Hawaii's library system is one of the most heavily used in the country. Roughly 800,000 people, including part-time residents, have state library cards.
But the system's budget falls far short of its peers. Per capita funding for libraries in Hawaii is $19 a year, compared with a national average of $29, including private donations, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
"She's worked very hard to make things efficient and bring the library up to current trends, with very little money," Huddleston said. "She is straightforward, smart, accessible and honest. I think she's probably suffered for that a little bit."
State Board of Education
Hawaii State Public Library System