In lieu of a Resignation

Letter to Greta Southard

Director of the Boone County Public Library

In lieu of a Resignation

Note: This letter was written in Greta Southard's Office in response to her request for my resignation. I have transcribed it from my original handwritten copy for ease of reference. This was Greta's third day in office. She started on the eighth, and immediately began a round of visits to five of the six branches of the library. She spend almost the entire morning of the tenth at the Lents Branch and had not read the letter in which I requested that the meeting be deferred or that Bridget Striker or Sherri Slavey not be present at the meeting; however she insisted, saying I would be "in insubordination" if I did not attend. The entire meeting was recorded and Ms. Southard presented me with a copy on a disc at a meeting with the Board of Trustees 17 Sep 2009.

10 Sep 2009

Dear Greta,

I am in a very difficult situation at the moment. I do not think my resignation is in the best interest at this time. I have a wife and children at home whose well-being depends on me. I would never have hazarded their well-being if I did not think the issues here worth that cost. I think you should engage in a period of fact-finging before doing anything hasty. I will be willing to take several weeks of vacation, as I have more than 100 hours accumulated, while this is done. This will give everyone a breather, and there will not be any bad feelings between us.

I would like for you to read the letters I have sent you; they are very important. The Chronology of events I gave you will also be important as you work through the documents.
If you chose not to do this I shall have no choice but to continue my appeal to the Board of Trustees. The issues raised will be substantive. They are these: discrimination, defamation, and intellectual property rights. I think you really ought to read my documents and hear my concerns.

If you have further questions and concerns you may contact my lawyer.

With all due respect,

James Duvall, M. A.
Local History Research Specialist
Annals of Boone County
Boone County Public Library

Transcribed from my original handwritten copy 20 Sep 2009. JD.