jmelvin
Founder's Club Member
This afternoon my wife was checking out the website of our local library and noticed that the library was attempting to prohibit the possession of firearms in the county libraries. My wife told me and I provided the following e-mail to our library director and copied the county attorney, the county administrator, and VCDL President. I'm looking forward to seeing that they remove this restriction just as they did a similar restriction at Campbell County Parks back in 2010.
Good evening Ms. Carmack,
This afternoon I looked at the Campbell County Public Library System website (http://www.campbellcountylibraries.org/meeting-spaces) for information regarding the public meeting rooms at my local library, which is the new Timbrook Library. As I perused Section D “Regulations” I noticed the following restriction on the use of meeting rooms:
“No firearms or other weapons will be permitted”
This restriction made by the Campbell County Public Library System, which is a local authority or local government agency that is part of Campbell County, is in direct violation of the Code of Virginia 15.2-915 (http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter9/section15.2-915/). Attempts to enforce this rule put Campbell County, the Library System, responding police, or even individual workers at a significant risk of financial liability since neither Campbell County nor the Library System have the authority to make or enforce such a rule.
It would seem to me that a restriction on violent or rowdy behavior may actually be a better fit, since firearms themselves do nothing, yet violent and rowdy behavior is likely what the Library System wishes to forbid and likely has the authority to forbid.
Please consult with Mr. David Shreve (Campbell County Attorney, copied on this e-mail) and let me know that you have removed this restriction from the Library System website and in any posted places in the individual libraries. I have also copied the County Administrator on this e-mail to ensure that the Board of Supervisors is aware of this issue. As a Campbell County resident I expect that my county government keep its activities within the bounds of the law so that my taxes are not wasted unnecessarily in court. If I can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me directly.
Thank you much,
jmelvin
Good evening Ms. Carmack,
This afternoon I looked at the Campbell County Public Library System website (http://www.campbellcountylibraries.org/meeting-spaces) for information regarding the public meeting rooms at my local library, which is the new Timbrook Library. As I perused Section D “Regulations” I noticed the following restriction on the use of meeting rooms:
“No firearms or other weapons will be permitted”
This restriction made by the Campbell County Public Library System, which is a local authority or local government agency that is part of Campbell County, is in direct violation of the Code of Virginia 15.2-915 (http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter9/section15.2-915/). Attempts to enforce this rule put Campbell County, the Library System, responding police, or even individual workers at a significant risk of financial liability since neither Campbell County nor the Library System have the authority to make or enforce such a rule.
It would seem to me that a restriction on violent or rowdy behavior may actually be a better fit, since firearms themselves do nothing, yet violent and rowdy behavior is likely what the Library System wishes to forbid and likely has the authority to forbid.
Please consult with Mr. David Shreve (Campbell County Attorney, copied on this e-mail) and let me know that you have removed this restriction from the Library System website and in any posted places in the individual libraries. I have also copied the County Administrator on this e-mail to ensure that the Board of Supervisors is aware of this issue. As a Campbell County resident I expect that my county government keep its activities within the bounds of the law so that my taxes are not wasted unnecessarily in court. If I can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me directly.
Thank you much,
jmelvin
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