The Coplay Public Library Board needs to separate itself from the borough, says a library consultant.

"The affairs of all local libraries ... shall be under the exclusive control of a board of library directors," says Section 411 of the state library code.

This means the Coplay Public Library Board is expected to operate totally independently of Coplay Borough, said Mark Sullivan, who serves as district consultant librarian. In that position he serves as a liaison between the state and libraries in Lehigh and Carbon counties.

"I don't think they get it," Sullivan told The Press during an interview Dec. 5.

Borough council has the authority to appoint board members but, beyond that, the borough has no further authority.

"Once [the library board members] are appointed, they're legally independent, so I always want the library boards to assert their independence," Sullivan said.

At the November meeting, library board President Janet Eisenhauer announced the library staff personnel files would be locked up and stored in the borough hall.

"They're not borough employees," Sullivan said. "[Library] personnel files should be locked up at the library."

The fact that the library personnel files ended up at the borough hall shows the two groups do not understand the requirement for separation, he said.

"You get the impression that the municipality has more power than it does," Sullivan said.

Eisenhauer said the idea of storing personnel files at borough hall came up because employees were concerned about confidentiality. The board asked employees to review each other and employees told the board they were concerned about the confidentiality of the responses.

"We found a locked cabinet in the upstairs of the library and that is where all of the personnel files will be stored both past and future," said Eisenhauer in an email Dec. 21. "This was discussed with the employees and they were fine with the files being locked up in these cabinets."

Sullivan said the lines between the municipality and library board are more easily blurred in Coplay than in some other places because Coplay is the only municipality funding this library.

The need for separation is more easily seen in libraries such as Northampton, which is funded by seven municipalities in addition to the school district. It would be out of line for any one of the seven municipalities to expect to store the Northampton library's personnel files, Sullivan said.

Another problem with library personnel files going to Coplay Borough hall is the security of sensitive information such as Social Security numbers.

"Once that information physically leaves the building, you don't have control over who has access to it," Sullivan said.

Library board members also should not be taking personnel files home for any reason, Sullivan said.

Although library board members and borough employees may have good intentions, Sullivan said, it is problematic for anyone to be removing personnel files from the library.

"It doesn't have to be nefarious. It's just that things can happen," Sullivan said.

"The policy committee is currently working on standards for the files," said Eisenhauer.

She took home some of the performance reviews in an effort to develop a new review form. She returned them within a few days, she said.

"There were no Social Security numbers on these documents, just past performance information," Eisenhauer said.

Board members discussed the issue with codirectors Maryrose Farquhar and Sharon Dougherty, Eisenhauer said.

"The reviews never left my sight," Eisenhauer said. "The committee is working on documenting the procedures which will include signing out any performance reviews, if needed. Any other personal information will not leave the library."

The board plans to hire a director "as a position of one," according to comments made by Sodl at the November meeting. The appointment is expected to be made at the Jan. 9 meeting.

A newspaper advertisement instructed applicants to apply through the borough.

"We were sensitive to two directors spots going to one and having the resumes going to this address was a way to address the sensitivity," Eisenhauer said. "They were time stamped at the office and I picked them up. They were not opened by anyone except me."