Voices in My Head
Library Naming Process: Transparent? Depends on Who’s Asking.
The soon to be opened new Main Public Library will get a name on Tuesday, July 23. That’s when the Long Beach City Council is scheduled to make a decision. I’m not taking bets on whose name will be approved. My question is: Why do we have to brand any public facility, school or park with a person’s name? I get it, you might want to honor someone who has made a great contribution to a city or in memoriam of a city resident who died in service to their country or a great historical figure who left a lasting legacy to the city, state, or country. I can understand why people might want to reward these persons; especially someone who may have worked hard for, say the Library Foundation, or the local school teacher who worked 25 years there, and then they died. Nice gesture. But, if you’re going to do it, please try to create an inclusive, transparent, and studied process.
Library Name is Not About BJK
But, what are we to make of an effort to name a public library building after a legendary athlete who was born in Long Beach but established their fame somewhere else. They don’t live here and haven’t for some time. But, they’re famous although one might be tempted to ask, “What have they’ve done for us lately.” A cynical person might even think that this effort is political. I’m not saying it is but someone else might (and has).
Now, I respect Billy Jean King and her many accomplishments in Tennis; not that I was a tennis fan but I know who she is. This is not a piece about Billy Jean King and the effort by some Long Beach Councilmembers to name the new main library after her. The new Main Public Library is not a Second District Library. What we should be talking about is why name any building after anyone, especially someone living, and what is the process that gives so much power to one Councilmember or two from different districts to name a building that really belongs to all the taxpayers that are paying for it.
In the recent past, there have been two other controversies over naming buildings and sites. One was the Harvey Milk Promenade Park. How soon we forget the number of people who felt that the honor should have gone to someone local who had contributed and supported LGBTQ causes. The other was the naming of the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library. I am a big fan of Michelle Obama but there were critics then who wondered why the branch has not been named after someone local e.g. a grand supporter or volunteer of the Long Beach Public Library.
There is a Process…Somewhere
Now, we are back to the Main Library and not just any library. This is the new Library in the heart of the new civic center downtown. A beautiful building. Recently, I posted a comment on Facebook about why, in a city that is majority PoC with so many people who tirelessly contribute every day to the growth of this city, were we talking about naming the Main Library after someone who has not lived in Long Beach in a long time. The pushback was that we have plenty (maybe an exaggeration on my part) of parks, schools, and a library named after a person of color. Well, with all due respect, that wasn’t my point and when is there a limit on the number of buildings named after a person of color. No, it’s not about race (at least when we talk about PoC). Look, the whole naming thing is fraught with landmines. No one is going to be happy with a final decision but there should be some semblance of logic and rationale for naming something after someone, whether they’re alive or dead. And there are.
During the July 15 Housing and Neighborhoods Committee Meeting, two speakers brought up the issue of the naming process. One specifically pointed out that the process seemed rushed. The first time that the issue was raised citywide was a press report about Second District Councilperson Jeannine Pearce proposing the name of Billy Jean King. Next thing, there’s a City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, and vote to refer the item to the Housing and Neighborhoods Committee. They met on July 15, listened to 22 speakers, and in a unanimous vote sent it back to the City Council for action (Video next).
There are rules for naming any public building or sites in Long Beach: 2017 issued “Administrative Regulations Number AR 8-7 Issue 2 Subject: Policy and Procedures for the Naming of City-owned Land, Buildings, and Facilities.” The purpose was to be a guide to the City Council in considering “appropriate names for City-owned land, buildings, and facilities.” The regulation was also written up as a means to decide under what circumstances, “…such land, buildings. and facilities should be named or renamed in honor of individuals.”
Rules are Rules…Sometimes
The regulation is supposed to apply to all City departments and offices that are under the City Manager but it does ask that elective office and other independent offices and departments of the City comply with these procedures, “in the interest of administrative uniformity.” The regulation goes on to list a number of policies ranging from the use of Long Beach in the name to how recommendations from the Planning Commission, the Cultural Heritage Commission, and the Long Beach Historical Society will play a role in the naming. Now, the rules do leave a lot of room for naming City-owned land, buildings and facilities. It may be named in “honor of persons who have served the nation, the State of California, and/or the City of Long Beach in an exceptional and distinguished manner.” It also adds to consider the action by a contribution or service of a major significance. But there seems to be a caveat: “City-owned land, buildings, and facilities will not normally be named after living persons unless the City Council deems it appropriate to take such action on the basis of a significant contribution, monetary or otherwise (my emphasis), which warrants a deviation from this policy guideline.” There’s more about naming in honor of a deceased person.
Names will be considered by the City Council that come from staff, City agencies, civic organizations, and/or the general public. They even talk about a selection process that might include a contest or competition, “if it is felt that such an alternative would promote greater community-wide interest and participation (again, my emphasis).” Not a bad idea but one that was not implemented.
Library Name will be Final
The matter now goes to the Council, which according to the regulation, is supposed to be accompanied by relevant testimony taken at the committee’s public hearing, as well as the reports of staff and any concerned advisory bodies.” The Council then is supposed to take up the matter where “staff, representatives of advisory bodies and civic organizations, and the general public may offer testimony.” The decision of the City Council will be final. And that’s that. Now, that’s a process.
If the process had been more transparent and inclusive to include the entire city, I believe we would have seen a less rapid process and one that actually considered more options. I’ve been reading more reactions to the potential naming of the Main Library and three names keep popping up. One is Dr. C. David Molina, the Founder of Molina Healthcare. The most recent one I saw was Indira Hale Tucker, who was a founding member of the Long Beach Public Library Foundation and responsible for the creation and development of the African American Resource Center which opened in 1998 at the Burnett Library in Long Beach. And the other was- surprise- The Long Beach Main Public Library. I like all three. What I would like even more is a transparent process that follows the rules and really does involve the whole city. This building may be in the Second District but it belongs to all of us.
