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| Mary Hernandez de Carl: CCL |
By Gretchen Garrity
When she first became involved with library activism, Hernandez de Carl put together a binder (which I briefly laid eyes on) that detailed some of the issues with books for minors. She spoke at board meetings and met with other citizens, eventually being appointed to fill Tuckness’ unexpired term. A former teacher and a homeschool parent, Hernandez de Carl was involved in hiring the library district’s new executive director, Will Blydenburgh.
When she was attacked by the press and local activists, I defended her. You can read about that HERE. While I do not regret supporting her appointment to the Library Board, it became clear over time that Hernandez de Carl had a basic misunderstanding of the role of the library board, especially in conjunction with the function and role of the library’s executive director.
Missouri statute directs the governing authority of a library district to a publicly-appointed board. The executive director is the employee of said board and is responsible for day-to-day functioning of the library district, as noted in statute. Further, the Missouri Secretary of State’s office outlines the legal authority of local library boards:
"The local Library Board of Trustees holds the legal authority to create, adopt, and change the policies of a public library district in Missouri. [1, 2]
Under Chapter 182 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo), library districts operate under a system of local control. The board functions as an independent governing body to oversee the library's operations, finances, and rules. [1, 2, 3, 4]"
As detailed in other articles, previous Christian County library boards had given governance power over to administrative staff. Once given away, authority is difficult to take back. This issue is not just a problem in public libraries, but also in public schools and other local boards. Board positions become less about governance and more about rubber-stamping what administrative staff determine is best for a taxpayer-funded institution.
Perhaps Hernandez de Carl was not aware of the work involved, especially as relating to a library district that had given up some statutory authority to paid staff. She was appointed to the library board partly to make sure the library was following state and federal guidelines regarding the protection of minors. During her short tenure on the board of trustees, she was appointed to the policy subcommittee to help facilitate a coherent youth collection policy that protects children and provides a safe place for them to access age-appropriate books and materials.
The subcommittees were formed to provide a systematic approach to policy-making and to provide transparency. Subcommittee findings and recommendations would be shared with the library board, discussed, amended, and eventually voted upon in an open meeting. Instead of working within the parameters of the subcommittee (composed of two board members, at least one staff member, and the board attorney), Hernandez de Carl worked independently of the subcommittee with staff.
From: Hick Christian
She was replaced on the policy subcommittee by board member
Kristin Roussell at the May 2026 board meeting. As a portion of her
parting address, which she prefaced as “honest reflections,” Hernandez de Carl accused
board members of blaming the executive director for legacy problems
that have carried over. Indeed, she blamed other board members for
delaying progress in the library.
Perhaps she does not remember that in the December 16, 2025 board meeting, she advocated for a pause on deciding policy. According to the Springfield Daily Citizen, "Treasurer John Garrity nominated Roberts to serve on the budget subcommittee and Mary Hernandez de Carl to the policy subcommittee. Hernandez de Carl, who advocated for a temporary “pause” to some subcommittee proceedings, voted in opposition to these changes.
“(Executive director Will Blydenburgh) has been here for three months. We still don’t have a strategic plan for what the next three years are going to look like, and you know, I think he needs, together with the library staff, to develop the strategic vision … and once that is established, we can see if it’s necessary for these meetings to continue to go on,” she said.
Policy development was paused for months. I am not aware of the development of a strategic vision for the library to date. This is a small example of why she seems to have a basic misunderstanding of the division of roles and responsibilities of a governing board versus administrative staff. Changing the culture of an institution is difficult. It requires vigilance and adherence to guidance that has been agreed upon by the governing authority—in this case the library board.
That decision has caused many months of delay in passing a policy that the board of trustees—not administrative staff--is statutorily tasked with formulating. The irony of accusing the library board as a whole of delaying progress while engaging in it herself, is just sour grapes.
It appears that when Hernandez de Carl did not get her way regarding how to handle policy development, she felt justified in attacking the board as a parting shot. Much of what she said was questionable, including equating the intention to protect children with a political ideology. Protection of children from harmful materials is not an ideological stance. It is a normal, natural human stance. Here is an interview with her from a year ago.
It was as if she completely forgot why she got involved and was appointed in the first place. When a heinous book, Sibylline, was added to the teen collection in February of this year, Hernandez de Carl was quick to suggest the book should be formally challenged. The executive director was made aware of the book at that open meeting.
The book is now listed in the Nixa branch under “Nixa New,” which does not really indicate a clear location designation. Why would it not be listed under the “Adult” designation? Is the “Nixa New” a display? If so, where is the display? Do minors have access?
Of course Sibylline is not the only book pushed out to minors in libraries. There are hundreds of them, such as “Rookie on Love” by Tavi Gevinson. It’s in the Ozark teen section. Here is a review of that book by Florida high school English teacher and champion of protecting children, Vicki Baggett:
In fact, three months ago, David Rice of Hick Christian, submitted 70 book challenges to the Library District. When I spoke with him in June, he still had not received an acknowledgment.
In her praise of the Library's new executive director, Hernandez de Carl did not mention the protection of children from harmful materials. She merely opined that the Christian County Library collection now provides a “thoughtful curation and respect for the interests of our community.” She completely failed to note that age-inappropriate books including those with sexual and transgender-driven themes are still being added to the collection, while hundreds of already-shelved books remain accessible to minors.
Hernandez de Carl accused the board of “micro-managing,” “second-guessing,” “unnecessary interference,” and “distrust.” Quite a litany of accusations. Where is the evidence to back them up? She presented none. And, she brought a political slant to her comments, noting that the “Libs” had seemingly abandoned the library perhaps as a way of giving the “Conservative Right” time destroy to themselves. NOTE: I will add the video of her comments when it becomes available.
Most people, whether Democrat or Republican, desire to protect children from harm. It is the iron grip of hard line Leftists (like the ALA) who are intent on indoctrinating children with age-inappropriate and sexually-driven materials.
Hernandez de Carl cannot have it both ways. Either the Library has made significant progress since the new executive director was hired as she averred at the beginning of her remarks, or her accusations of "unnecessary interference" and delayed progress against the Board are true.
If she had truly believed what she said about the Board, Hernandez de Carl should have brought her accusations to the Board as the governing authority and laid out her arguments. Instead, she chose to publicly berate the Board. What she really did was expose her own inability to work as a team member with the Library Board.