From time to time, the Library Reform Group receives information which is of special interest to the public. PPL Patrons Out in the Cold Providence Public Library includes a Public Comment section in its Agenda for PPL Board meetings, as required under Rhode Island's Open Meetings Law. However, the Public Comment section has been placed after the Closed Session, forcing members of the public to wait as long as thirty minutes before being readmitted to the meeting room to make their comments to the Board. Without knowing how long the Board will be in Closed Session and having other obligations to fulfill, some people have left before they have had the opportunity to return to the meeting room to speak. This has left the public with the impression that the Library once again isn't sincerely interested in hearing from the public. After the January Board meeting, I remained behind to suggest to the Board that it hold its Closed Session just AFTER the Public Comment section, making the Closed Session the last item on its agenda. This month the Library once again showed its inability to respond in a respectful and thoughtful manner toward its public by placing the Public Comment Section after the ROLL CALL at the beginning of the Meeting, when the Public would have nothing on which to comment. The Board then shrugged, helplessly, with passive aggression, as if to say, "Well, you asked for it." This is the Board and Administration of Providence Public Library, a center of information and knowledge which has in its very name the word "Public," yet it seems to ignore the very Public it is commissioned to serve. On a related note, this writer arrived at the Library on the day of the February PPL board meeting about three minutes before the Library opened at noon. The temperature was well below freezing and with the wind-chill factor, it was dangerously cold. At least a dozen patrons were standing outside of the Library waiting for it to open. I stood alongside of a Board member who was wearing a fur hat and coat. The security guard came along and opened the door only wide enough for me and the Board Member to enter, then closed it again, much to the consternation of those who were simply waiting to enter. Even the Board Member observed that this was "inhumane," but added, helplessly, "What can be done?" I said to her, "You are on the Board. Say something." Might I offer a suggestion as to what can be done? If Providence Public Library is a Private Library, why can't library administrators use their discretion when the wind chill factor is below zero and there are a dozen or so people standing outside five minutes before opening time? Why not just open the doors five minutes early, or at least let patrons stand between the two sets of electronic doors, where they wouldn't be quite so cold?       Elaine Heebner