“Diversity, Equity (sic) and Inclusion” sounds so beautiful.

Now let us talk about reality.

Libraries are libraries. They are not social services organizations except in a narrow sense. They especially are not homeless shelters, notwithstanding the fact that, according to Stephen Smith, the (King County Library System) “will face these challenges in partnership with our community so that our vision of prosperity and growth for all King County residents becomes a reality.”

I am not sure where Mr. Smith gets his idea that he is the Great Definer of “our vision,” whatever that is, as even Mr. Smith proselytizes, a “diverse” community, but one thing is certain, the behavior that is allowed to go on at the Kirkland Library is an embarrassment and consistently the worst I have encountered at any library in my life.

I ran this by the last failed King County Library System director, who also, like Mr. Smith, shared pretty and squishy-sounding ideals, but he apparently took no substantive action, perhaps more preoccupied with the behavior that got him dismissed. We will see how Mr. Smith fares.

Michael Kaiser,

Kirkland