RE: “Children’s books stolen from Port Orchard library,” May 7:

Of course first and foremost I feel for the kids who’ve lost out by this dastardly act.

Yet I also have to feel for the taxpayers, since they may face replacement costs in excess of $20,000.

The Port Orchard Library has a specific child librarian (whose name I shall not name). I’ve witnessed her in action on numerous occasions.

She presides over the tiny, cramped children’s section.

If more than 1,200 books have gone missing, that works out to about six a day — for 200 days in a row.

It amounts to dereliction of duty for her not to have noticed this and taken necessary protective steps.

It’s a tiny place with very clear entry area — no external doors.

This librarian has no excuses she can really call to her defense.

If she was operating her own private bookstore, she would go out of business. And that would be her “consequences.”

But in this rapidly socializing nation, bureaucrats like this who fail to conserve public assets never seem to get fired.

Even a reprimand seems pathetically inadequate, but I doubt even that will happen.

HAL MORRIS

Port Orchard