Letter to the editor: A misguided attack on Indiana’s public libraries

I am writing to strongly oppose Indiana Senate Bill 283, introduced by Sen. Gary Byrne (District 47), which proposes stripping public libraries of their autonomy by transferring their governance and operations to county governments. This bill is a direct threat to the stability and effectiveness of library services that Hoosiers depend on daily.

Public libraries are not mere book warehouses; they are critical providers of tailored services such as early literacy programs, technology access, local education initiatives, and rural Internet connection. Centralizing control under county governments will stifle this responsiveness, replacing effective local governance with bureaucratic inefficiency.

The proposed timeline is absurd. Expecting counties to take over library assets, liabilities and operations by mid-2025 will cause chaos, disrupt vital services and saddle counties with massive transition costs and responsibilities they are ill-equipped to handle. The financial and logistical fallout will far outweigh any imagined benefit.

Indiana’s public libraries thrive because they operate independently, grounded in the needs of their communities. Senate Bill 283 dismisses this proven model in favor of a reckless, ill-conceived overhaul that serves no one.

I urge lawmakers to reject this harmful legislation and protect one of Indiana’s most valuable public institutions.

— John D. Moore

Lafayette, Indiana