The director of Brookline’s public library announced on Tuesday night that she is resigning, following recent complaints by library staff describing low morale and alleging a toxic workplace.
Director Amanda Hirst said at a Board of Library Trustees meeting on Nov. 12 that she had filed her resignation on Nov. 9 after it became clear that changes she believed were necessary to the success of the library were not received positively by employees.
In a Brookline.News article published on Nov. 3, current and former employees said that they had experienced difficult working conditions and poor communication from the library’s leadership. Nearly 50 employees have left their positions at the library in just the last two years.
Hirst was hired by the board of trustees in 2022, having previously held multiple positions in the King County Library System in Washington state, where she worked for more than 15 years.
In addition to the critical reception to her policies and leadership by library staff, Hirst said Tuesday that she believes there have been attempts to harm her reputation.
“I recently learned that efforts to undermine my character, reputation and leadership are ongoing and unlikely to stop,” Hirst said. “Having to continuously respond to letters, social media posts and news articles, stalls the library’s ability to move forward and further poisons morale. My wish is that my resignation will be received in the most positive light possible.”
Thirteen additional former employees, including five supervisors, have signed their names to a letter which was shared with Brookline.News, in which they name many of the same issues raised in the Nov. 3 story. All of the employees departed the library system since Hirst started as director.
The library is a “workplace where institutional and professional knowledge isn’t valued, feedback to administration isn’t welcome, and staff wellbeing isn’t a priority,” the former employees wrote. “This environment poses a threat to the Library’s quality of service to the community.”
The Board of Trustees did not discuss who will serve as director in the interim, or how the search for a new director would take place.
“We thank Amanda Hirst for her service as our Library Director during an incredibly difficult period, when staffing and budget issues exacerbated by the Covid pandemic were at their peak,” said Christina Metcalf, a spokesperson for the town, in an email to Brookline.News. “At this time, we are focused on ensuring a smooth transition, supporting our staff with a workplace where everyone feels heard and valued, and maintaining services for residents. We will provide further updates as events progress.”
On Tuesday, the board briefly discussed the possibility of hiring a consultant to help identify and ameliorate the problems at the library, and may create an ad hoc committee to do so.
Several board members noted a “communication breakdown” between library employees, patrons, the director and the trustees and recognized a need to address problems beyond the immediate issues that led to Hirst’s resignation.
Jonathan Margolis, a member of the board of trustees, said he was “blindsided and devastated” by Hirst’s resignation. Hirst successfully dealt with a difficult situation she inherited when she took the role of library director in 2022, Margolis said, and losing her will negatively impact the library and the town.
“To people who, especially without speaking publicly, condemned or attempted to undermine [Hirst’s] position, you have hurt the library, and you have hurt our community, and if you’re not from Brookline, then you have come in from outside and attacked us all.”
Board chair Kristin Hung said she is sorry that Hirst will no longer be library director, but is hopeful that the transition can be positive.
“I had the opportunity as chair to speak with a lot of people over the past several weeks, and I learned a lot,” Hung said. “I’m seeing now that as a trustee, I missed things in the past, and I want to do better … I hope that as a board, we can move forward and move our community forward.”