In my experience, standing-room only at a board or council or association membership meeting means that a lot of people are pissed -- really, really pissed!

OK.   Maybe not this pissed.

 

Letter to the Editor:   Citizens must take part in democracy.   (News-Gazette, 7/22/2013)

Excerpt:   Vigorous public input and grass-roots community involvement brought rapid change at the Urbana Free Library. Regardless of how you feel about the changes, they are a prime example of how an involved community can affect real change. The past two board meetings were standing room only. Bravo to so many citizens for taking an active role in this community.

Well articulated and all true.   In most cases, unfortunately, it tends to be a recipe for a reactive instead of a proactive response.

We'll look in occasionally to see if people remain engaged.

Related posts: 
Urbana resident offers succinct performance evaluation of departing library director.   (7/19/2013)
News-Gazette editorial board on the Urbana Free Library "brouhaha": "Food fight over library personalities"?  (7/15/2013)
More from the Urbana Free Library.  (7/13/2013)
A song to mom to accompany a letter about mom.  (7/10/2013)
Urbana Free Library Board to Library Director Deb Lissak: Go your own way   (7/10/2013)
Urbana Free Library board member speaks out on weeding controversy.  (7/8/2013) 
The Urbana Free Library and a "dissonant rate of discard versus retention"  (7/3/2013)
Urbana Free Library holds special board meeting on June 19th.  (6/24/2013)
University of Illinois GSLIS faculty member advocates for televised library board meetings. / (6/24/2013)
Wondering about the "weeding" "misstep" at the Urbana Free Library.  (6/18/2013)