Carlsbad resident urges trustees to press library administration to reconsider Shakespeare reading program

Christine Dickon, a Carlsbad resident and library volunteer, urged the Library Board of Trustees to act as a liaison between patrons and library administration and to ask the administration to reconsider a proposed Shakespeare reading-and-analysis program.

Dickon said she submitted the program proposal multiple times and offered to fund a three-month trial after being told there was no budget. She told trustees she had recruited three book groups and that typical attendance had been "15 to 20 or more people," and said the Friends group had substantial funds, noting she learned at a May 2023 meeting that the Friends had "$375,000." She said that, despite patron interest, the administration had told her "this population is already served."

"I believe in my review of your roles that you serve as an advisory board to the library and not a governing board," Dickon said, asking trustees to "advise the library administration to come to the groups and discuss options with them" and to provide a written response on how patron input is considered.

Trustees did not take action during the meeting; the chair explained that, under the Brown Act, public comment items cannot be acted on at the same meeting. The board thanked Dickon for presenting her request and indicated they would consider follow-up steps outside the public comment period.