BALTIMORE COUNTY — Earlier this week, 14 Baltimore County Public Library employees were laid off.

There’s no word on the reason for the dismissal, but county leaders are taking notice.

Councilman Izzy Patoka said, “the timing of these firings lack compassion and are tone deaf, not only to the time of year, but also the state of our current economy.”

His full statement can be found below.

Libraries are an essential part of our communities. With Baltimore County’s sudden departure from its commitment to the proposed Middle River library and now the firing of 14 library employees, libraries have come under attack from within. In both cases, there was no stakeholder engagement. These inexplicable actions are unacceptable. The timing of these firings lack compassion and are tone deaf, not only to the time of year, but also the state of our current economy. I call on an immediate reversal of these firings and prompt stakeholder engagement.

Read full article: 14 part-time employees laid off from the Baltimore County Public Library system