Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-08
library SNARL
BOBS UP AGAIN
MAYOR PROMISES TO MAKE
INVESTIGATIONS
MISS BLANDY WILL NOT LET
MATTERS REST
Charges Encouragement, Misapplica-
ton of Funds, Neglect of 5usl-
ness on Part of Head of
Institution

Mayor Alexander has promised 10 re
open the library case and see the NUS
wheels go round. He made a oeIIlite
promise to this effect yesterday 10 MISS
Julia w. Blandy, formerly principal OF
branch libraries. Later he SAID ne
would take up the case as soon as he
could, but with the mass OF business
now before him it is not likely he VIII
get at it for some time.
Her position was abolished by act OF
the library board Tuesday night, ana
Miss Blandy is bent on retaliation. Sle
has made a number OF charges against
the library board and the librarian, ana
declares she can sustain them III an
investigation. The charges are TO tne
effect that the library is grossly ms
managed, that funds are p1isspent' ana
that the librarian does not attend 10
business as he should.
As the mayor has the power OF aP-
pointing members of the library board,
on confirmation by the council, he also
has the power to remove them, WIN
the councils consent. An investigation
such as has been threatened Will De
made by the council, sitting as conf
mittee of the whole.
Miss Blandy, as prosecuting witness
in such investigation. will be handi-
canned by the fact that she recently
brought charges against four members
of the library staff. All four OF these
cases were lost. The civil service COM
mission, which heard the charges IN
two cases, declared they were unfound-
ed, and as these two cases were the
strongest ones Miss Blandy mad. she
asked that the other two be dismissed
But it was evident all through the two
trials that were held that Miss Blandy
was hitting at the library board ana
the librarian more than at the members
of the staff against whom she preferred
charges.
Under the McAleer administration an
investigation of the library board was
held by the council. but 1t resulted u!
f1asco. The board had discharged MISS
Mary Jones, who was then librarian, In
order to employ Charles f. Lummls'
who now holds the position on &C
count of her allegedly unwarranted DIS
charge Miss Jones brought charges
against the library board, and, backed
by Mayor McAleer, trial was held.
loggerheads with the mayor, and in
sisted on putting him instead of the
members of the library board on trlal.
Tt was because she had brought
charges against the four members OF
the library staff, which charges were
not sustained, that the position held
by Miss Blandy was abolished by the
board. She was a civil service employe,
and it was not in the province of the
library directors to discharge her. AT
the suggestion of the board, Librarian
Lunmis had asked Miss Blandy for her
resignation, but it was refused.
1t is expected that the library dlrect-
orc will take one more similar step and
abolish the position of director of study
and research. While the position could
be made most valuable one, the hold,
or. DIR. c. J. K. Jones, is not in good
favor with the board and has not been
for several years. :,
Director O'Nfelveny did not concur III
+he action of the board in abolishing
the position held by Miss Blandy. He
declared he believed a better way to
get rid of her would be to file charges.