A Lake County library branch supervisor was terminated last week and two others disciplined after officials said they falsified public records.
- Employees allowed to create "fake" library cards
- Cards had made-up names, addesses, driver's license numbers
- Goal was to keep books on the shelves that would have been weeded out
A December 2 audit report from the Inspector General's office found that the East Lake County Library Branch Supervisor in Sorrento, George Dore, allowed employees to create a fake library card with a made-up name, address, phone number and even a fake driver's license number.
The fake library card was issued in the name of "Chuck Finley." The county's Public Resources Department contacted the Inspector General's office after noticing some unusual activity associated with "Finley."
Specifically, "Finley's" card was used to check books in and out more than 2,000 times in about a 6-month period.
"[We] realized there’s no possible way that someone could be checking out the volume of materials that that person was supposedly checking out," said Public Resources Department Director Jeff Cole.
The audit revealed Finley was made up by the employees to try and keep books on the shelves that would have been weeded out because they weren't that popular.
Officials say no charges will be filed, because there is no financial implication. There is now an ongoing evaluation of the entire Lake County library system.
"Anytime there's a falsification of public records we take it seriously," said Cole.