It’s still unclear what led to the suspension and subsequent resignation agreement for Resa Mai, the former Morris Area Public Library Director, but her chapter in Morris is over.

The Morris Area Public Library voted Thursday night to approve the resignation agreement, and Mai has since accepted the director position with the Peru Public Library.

Since matters of what led to Mai’s departure are under investigation, not much could be said to the public. However, Maria Meachum, director of the Wilmington Public Library, expressed concern that the Morris Area Public Library would return to the instability it had before Mai was hired as director.

“I have personally witnessed what I would call a startling turnover rate at this library, and many times I wondered about the root cause of it,” Meachum said. “All I ever really did was wonder, because nobody ever really stayed long enough for me to become very invested in the Morris Library. That changed with Resa.”

Meachum said the Morris Library had four directors and two interim directors in the seven years before Mai was hired in 2020. She said she’s concerned the talent pool the library board will have to pick from will be shallow.

Mai was hired to come to Morris from Colorado after a nationwide search. Mai’s husband, Don, spoke to the board during the meeting, reminding the board of her achievements during her five years in Morris.

In that time, she represented Morris at the American Library Association and Public Library Association for presentations, joined the Lions Club and served as its president, spoke to the Grundy County Women’s Group, and spoke at schools and civic organizations.

Her time with Morris started during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Don said she made positive changes in that time.

The board didn’t comment, though later in the meeting, some library staff did share that there is no division among the library staff over Mai’s departure, and the board expressed a willingness to share the results of the investigation once it’s allowed.

Board President Lauren Keavney said she has high praise for Interim Director Karen Barowsky and the library staff.

“I cannot tell you how hard this all has been for me as well, and how much time I have given up with my family,” Keavney said. “Just knowing you guys are here, doing the things every day, and have not complained, and you have just been incredible. I really am seeing that.”

A member of the library staff who attended the meeting urged the board to share their side of the story as soon as possible, since the community is hearing gossip and falsehoods instead of what really happened.

Board Secretary Maureen Keegan agreed that there needs to be an answer.

“I know at this time, we cannot say anything,” Keavney said. “That is very hard for me.”

The board is paying Robbins Schwartz, a law firm out of Chicago, to conduct the investigation. According to the budget, the library paid $3,094.30 in November.