Ohio County Courthouse & Library Woes

On Tuesday, September 13, 2011, I went to the Ohio County Clerk's office in Wheeling with my friend, Tom. A resident of Louisiana, I was in the Wheeling area for four days and had planned to spend half a day at the courthouse.

We encountered a very friendly, flamboyant woman on the courthouse elevator, who was none other than the Clerk of Court herself, Patricia Fahey. She directed her staff to help us, and they did.

The problem arose when I could not find a particular book I needed. The book was not at the courthouse, we were told, because it was "restricted," due to its fragile condition.

The restricted book was stored in the basement of the Ohio County Library, and, according to Mrs. Fahey, the book could be viewed at the library "if you know someone there." She specifically asked if I know Glenna Dillon. I do. She tried to think of the name of another person at the library and could not remember it. I suggested "Diane" and she said, "That's it!"

Since I have been doing a free website for the Wheeling Area Genealogical Society for fifteen years, I know two people who work at the library, one of whom is Diane. I also know Glenna Dillon, but she does not work at the library. She is a volunteer in the Wheeling Room, the genealogy library of the W.A.G.S, of which she and I are members.

Thinking I would have no difficulty gaining access to the restricted book, Tom and I walked to the library and asked about the book. A member of the staff stated that a permission slip from the Clerk of Court is required to see a restricted book.

Recalling Mrs. Fahey's statement that the book could be accessed if I "know someone," I asked for Diane. While waiting for Diane, I spoke to other members of the library staff, all of whom claimed they had no authority to provide access to the book. Past incidents of "helping" researchers by allowing access to restricted books had resulted in being admonished by the Clerk of Court. For that reason, the library instituted the policy of requiring the authorization slip from the clerk.

By the time Diane arrived, I understood that a pass from the clerk would, indeed, be required, and I would not even consider asking her for assistance.

Tom went back to the courthouse to see Mrs. Fahey about the permission slip, but by that time, she was in a meeting, could not be disturbed, and no one knew how long it would be before she would be available.

In Mrs. Fahey's absence, there was no delegation of authority, apparently, and, therefore, no one to provide the permission slip required to gain access to the restricted book.

Questions: Should anyone be required to "know someone" in order to access public records? Shouldn't there be a policy in place so visitors don't have to be in the middle of a conflict between the clerk and the library? And shouldn't the clerk know the standing policy of the library if there already is one? Why would Mrs. Fahey suggest that Glenna Dillon, not even a libary employee, would be able to provide access to the restricted book? Isn't the clerk in charge of the county records, including those stored in the library? Shouldn't the clerk delegate authority in her absence so that matters, such as the authorization I required, can be promptly processed?

The entire morning was taken up with this deadlock, and viewing the restricted book was not in the realm of possibility. It was very disappointing, a complete waste of my time, and entirely unnecessary.

Moving on. Since I was in the library, I thought I would look at the Wheeling City Directories in the Wheeling Room. Outside the door is the nice plaque I donated to the W.A.G.S. for their 35th anniversary, inscribed with the names of the charter members.

But the Wheeling Room door is locked. The good news is that I was permitted to go in. The bad news is that my purse had to be handed over to a staff member who promptly locked it in a utility closet.

Over the years, people have stolen all kinds of things from the library, including from the Wheeling Room. I understand the need to take steps to prevent theft, but this seemed rather discriminatory - and unreasonable. A woman with a purse, regardless of its size, has to relinquish it. Period. Never mind that it might be too small to conceal more than a paper clip. And when people want to steal things, couldn't they, even more easily, put it under a shirt or jacket - or in their pants? And don't people, as my son once did, tear pages out of books and put them between pages of a notebook?

If purses and other similar potential recepticles for stolen goods are confiscated, then why stop there? Is it fair to take a purse and then not do "pat downs" to insure that someone didn't slip a book under his shirt?

And do I really want to hand over my purse - containing cash, camera, iPhone, check book and credit cards - to a library employee who is a complete stranger to me? I have no idea how many people have keys to that dark storage closet. If my purse - or contents - turned up missing, what proof would I have that I ever gave it to a staff person in the first place?

It would make sense to me to post a sign indicating that the libary reserves the right to inspect bags upon leaving. But what about items secreted under a shirt or jacket? That's probably some violation of a Constitutional Right. - But, as it is, the current practice of locking up purses is discriminatory, and, from my point of view, very risky.

Our library in Baton Rouge has a magnetic security system, and I thought they had the same in Wheeling. Each book has a magnetic strip that is desensitized before the patron leaves the library. An alarm would go off if someone tried to abscond with a book that had not been desensitized. It seems to work.

This experience highlights some issues that need to be addressed - IMO.