BY DR. SUSAN WALSH
Contributing Writer
Merced County residents were recently met with troubling news: the potential privatization, and possible closure of our public libraries. This move threatens not only access to books and resources but also the core principle of what a public library represents: a free, open, and equitable space for all.
Privatization is often framed as a practical solution in tough times. But when private interests take control of community assets, access is too often traded for profit. Libraries are not businesses, they are public services, shared spaces, and community lifelines.
Undermining that foundation puts at risk the very things that make public libraries indispensable: free access, public accountability, and the promise that everyone, regardless of income or background, has the right to gather, read, learn, and grow.
Let’s be clear: this is not just about books.
Merced County libraries provide internet access, literacy programs, homework help, summer reading programs, job search support, toddler story time, community meeting spaces, art exhibits, Veterans’ resources, genealogical information, cooling centers during summer heat, and a vital refuge for both housed and unhoused residents. These services should never come with a price tag.
Yet under a privatized model, that’s exactly what could happen. When operations are handed over to private companies, the mission shifts from public service to cost-cutting. Staffing gets reduced, hours are shortened, programs disappear, and fees quietly emerge. Those who rely most on the public library, often the most vulnerable, are the first to be left behind.
If that sounds alarmist, look to other communities that have outsourced their libraries. Some began charging for basic services like borrowing DVDs, reserving meeting rooms, or attending events.
Others cut hours or laid off trained staff, replacing them with lower-paid workers. Local oversight vanished. Local tax dollars and decisions on how to spend them moved behind closed corporate doors in distant cities.
Is that the future we want for Merced County?
Perhaps most frustrating is how little the public has been included in this conversation. No outreach. No forums. No transparent explanation of the county’s financial reasoning.
The community wasn’t invited to brainstorm solutions or asked what we value most. Instead, we’re left reacting to rumors and decisions made without us.
This lack of transparency isn’t just poor governance, it’s a breach of public trust. A decision could be made at the same meeting where it first appears on the agenda. If officials believe privatization is necessary, they owe us answers.
What alternatives were explored? Has community support been considered? Were grants, partnerships, or budget reallocations pursued? Was the library’s budget publicly reviewed? And most importantly, what’s the long-term plan to ensure public services remain in public hands?
Merced County deserves answers. Privatization is not inevitable. We, the people, have the right and responsibility to speak up before it’s too late.
Make no mistake: the stakes are high. Once a library system is privatized, it’s incredibly difficult to reverse course. Contracts get locked in. Accountability fades. Decisions become more about spreadsheets than community needs.
This isn’t just a budget decision, it’s a values decision.
Do we believe every child, regardless of zip code, deserves free access to books and learning materials? Should job seekers and seniors be able to use the internet without a fee? Should knowledge, literacy, and opportunity be available to all, not just those who can afford it?
If the answer is yes, then we must defend our libraries as public institutions. We must push back against efforts to privatize them.
And we must demand transparency and genuine community engagement in any decision that affects their future.
It’s not too late to act. Call your county supervisors. Attend public meetings. The next Board of Supervisors’ meeting is on April 8 at 10 a.m.
Organize. Write letters. Share stories of how the library has touched your life.
Because once libraries are treated like businesses, we stop treating them as the heart of our community and start treating them like just another service to buy or cut.
Let’s keep Merced County’s libraries public, free and open to all. Anything less is a betrayal of what they’re meant to be.
— Dr. Susan Walsh is President of the League of Women Voters of Merced County.
