By Kevin Gosztola, Editor-In-Chief
When I opened my inbox Saturday morning, I was stunned to see an email from Elmwood Park Public Library Director Michael Consiglio.
“Can we meet on Monday, either at the library or at Panera?”
Then nearly 48 hours later, as I attempted to confirm a time for meeting on Monday, Consiglio replied as if I was the one who had asked for a meeting.
“Thank you for reaching out. At this time, I don’t see an immediate need for a meeting from my side,” Consiglio wrote. “That said, as a resident, you are always welcome to request a meeting with me whenever you feel it would be helpful, and I’m happy to make the time.”
Except I did not reach out for a meeting. So how should one make sense of this erratic and peculiar behavior?
If you are not fully aware, the library director recently escalated a campaign to restrict—and potentially prohibit—the Elmwood Park Advocate from using the library’s main meeting room. We have used this room for “Community Conversations” during the past months. (In fact, our next “Community Conversation”—confirmed by the library director—is scheduled for Saturday, September 20, at 1 p.m.)
I wrote about it last week, and I had hoped this week to move to another issue or topic. Yet I do not believe what happened here should be ignored, which means here I am once again writing about this mistreatment.
Consiglio’s email requesting that we meet at the library or Panera came after at least two Elmwood Park residents complained about his proposed changes to the library’s meeting room policy—changes that clearly add to evidence that he is undermining our First Amendment rights. The request also came a day after I published an editorial about his actions since July.
I thought, great, the library director would like to meet and discuss how to make this all go away, and I informed him that I would meet if he provided a copy of the meeting room policy, with proposed changes. That way I would be fully informed when we met.
Additionally, I insisted that we meet in the Korbel Room at the library and not his office, and I suggested that we each bring a person to the meeting. This would mean that after the meeting there would be four people who could talk about what had happened. Neither Consiglio nor myself would be able to claim a monopoly on the truth when speaking about what was said during the meeting.
Before the weekend was over, Consiglio satisfied my request for a copy of the proposed meeting room policy changes (and even provided information in response to a related Freedom of Information Act request that I had submitted).
I was informed that the library’s attorney Tom Melody had reviewed the meeting room policy changes and made “substantial revisions.” Of course, parts were changed because Consiglio had unveiled the new meeting room policy before consulting a lawyer.
Suddenly, on Monday, Consiglio no longer wanted to meet with me. This was similar to when he tried to force me to pay to use the meeting room in August and then reversed after I refused to pay because he had told the newsletter he would not inappropriately attempt to collect a fee.
I’m not sure why he backed out, but I responded to him and copied all of the library board trustees so that they could see his behavior—particularly, how he had pretended it was me who had “reached out” for a meeting.
“Based on your actions since we met on July 28, I am concerned about your erratic and peculiar behavior. I suggest that you take some time to gather yourself because I am worried that your shortsighted obsession with meeting rooms is impairing your ability to make sound decisions and act as the main leader of the Elmwood Park Public Library,” I wrote.
“I remind you as the library director that the Elmwood Park Advocate is a not-for-profit news publication founded by volunteer residents. It was launched as a counter to the loss of local journalism in the area over the past 20-30 years. The ‘Community Conversations’ are gatherings intended to create a much-needed space for dialogue that reflects a diverse range of voices from different parts of the village. They promote principles of the First Amendment—freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.”
I also mentioned that the Elmwood Park Advocate’s report, “Library Director Unveils Plan To Charge Groups For Meeting Room Use,” is now our most popular article that we’ve published since we launched in May.
Residents are noticing what the library director is doing, and so are people outside of Elmwood Park.
Now, Consiglio responded almost an hour after I challenged him. “I did not realize that I had to go into detail about why I canceled the meeting. Libraries are required by law to have an external audit every year, and for the next 10 days, auditors will be here at the library.”
“I am required to complete countless documents and answer their questions, which take precedence over my schedule. Sorry, you jumped the gun without all the information,” Consiglio stated.
Well, it’s not like The Accountant showed up suddenly this morning to un-cook the Elmwood Park Public Library’s books.
The library director knew when he asked me to grab a coffee that auditors would be at the library on Monday.
So, I’ll ask subscribers and readers one more time to please write to Elmwood Park Library Director Michael Consiglio: mconsiglio@elmwoodparklibrary.org
Let the library director know that you would like the library to quit trying to suppress the “Community Conversations,” uphold the First Amendment, and maintain neutrality.
The library should allow Elmwood Park community groups, not-for-profit organizations, and residents who are library card holders to use meeting room spaces that are paid for with our property taxes—for free.
Thank you for your documentation. I know it's a lot of work and I appreciate you doing it.