A reconstituted Columbia County Library Board on Thursday spent most of its meeting time hearing patrons criticize new library policies as censorious, non-inclusive and impractical.

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners voted earlier this year to approve a resolution dissolving the county's Library Advisory Board, withdrawing from the Greater Clarks Hill Regional Library System, and creating a one-county regional library system composed of branches in Evans, Grovetown, and Harlem.

But the new library board's description as an independent policymaking body rang hollow with critics in the meeting audience. Several pointed out that the newly elected board's chairwoman is Columbia County District 1 Commissioner Connie Melear, and the vice-chairman is county Community Services Director

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