On Nov. 28, St. John Parish Library Director Natalie D. Beam told community members in a column published in this newspaper that she looked forward to building substantial relationships with the patrons of the library and welcomed the opportunity to serve.

“Each day has been an enriching experience with many challenges that I look forward to,” she wrote. “My staff and I have been creating opportunities and brainstorming different ideas to make sure that all of the parish libraries are pleasing to a diverse group of people and offer a wide range of books that appeals to all.”

She announced her resignation 18 days later.

Unfortunately, Beam’s story was not the first of its kind this year.

In this same newspaper Aug. 22, then Library Director Roberta Zeno August shared with readers plans for an exciting 2016, writing, “Our library system will be celebrating 50 years of providing dedicated service to our patrons. In reflecting on such a commendable accomplishment, I could not help but think of how valuable libraries are to our nation and communities.

“We are not just brick and mortar buildings, which only hold books, magazines and newspapers; however, libraries are entities that are alive and vibrant, providing educational, recreational and social programming for the patrons we hold so dear,” she said.

August also used the column space to inform readers she resigned the previous day.

How did such optimism and enthusiasm turn into exodus? It points to a problem.

Neither August or Beam aired any dirty laundry in their columns about why they resigned or spoke on the record about their decisions to leave. However, those on and around the Library Board said each had strained relationships with the Board that added to a discomfort level that both thought made continued employment unsustainable. Now, it’s the Library Board’s responsibility, hopefully with added participation from the Parish Council and Administration, to get to the root of the problem and secure a library director who stays on the job for more than a few months.

We can’t be back here in the first half of 2016 reading about another library director who has resigned.