Dozens of anonymous letters from Greenville County Library System employees were given to the library system's board of trustees Monday.

The letters largely call for an investigation into the departures of two former branch managers, said Jed Cridland-Hughes, discovery manager at the library system

He told The Greenville News he collected 50 letters. Many of the letters were submitted anonymously and almost all of them were written by current employees, Cridland-Hughes said. One letter was written by a former employee who currently volunteers at the library, he said.

Cridland-Hughes put out the call for letters following last week's news that former branch managers were no longer with the library system.

Former Five Forks branch manager Jonathan Newton announced via Facebook last week that he was no longer manager of the Five Forks Branch. Newton's Facebook post didn't detail the reason or circumstances surrounding the change in his job status.

More:Five Forks library manager announces he's no longer working for Greenville County system

Julie Phillips, former branch manager of the Pelham Road library, told The Greenville News in a Facebook message that she was a former employee of the Greenville County Library System as of March 18.

Beverly James, the executive director of the Greenville County Library System, confirmed Newton and Phillips are no longer employed with the system, but would not comment further.

Cridland-Hughes was one of three people who requested an opportunity to speak about the staff changes during a library system board of trustees meeting Monday afternoon.

In an opening statement, Cridland-Hughes said he was aware that appearing before the board could result in his termination, but "I felt that I could no longer stay silent."

He told the board the letters he shared were mostly anonymous because staff members fear retribution for speaking out, but noted that the letters showed nearly unanimous support for Newton and Phillips and demonstrated a concern about the direction of the library.

He said staff members were not given a reason for Newton and Phillips' departures.

"It felt arbitrary and predatory, and a lot of people held Julie and Jonathan in very high-esteem, as you'll see in these letters," he said Monday, prior to the board of trustees meeting. "For them both to be released, was really just a shock to a huge number of people in the system."

Newton was the branch manager at Five Forks during the controversial Drag Queen Story Hour event.

Cridland-Hughes said he knows both Newton and Phillips had a conversation with or wrote a letter to James about their concerns over how the library system was handling the event, but he said it would be speculation to say that led to their departures.

Cridland-Hughes said he began collecting the letters because he felt like staff members needed a way to let the board know they were not happy with the direction the library was taking.

He said he didn't specify what he wanted people to write about, but a common theme among many of the letters was that employees want an investigation into the personnel decisions.

Cridland-Hughes provided each of the 13 board members with copies of the 50 letters and asked that they consider looking into whether all standards of fairness were used in the recent staff decisions and suggested they enlist an independent ombudsman to asses the workplace climate throughout the library system.

Greenville County residents Laura Bain and Tayler Center also spoke to the board Monday.

Center, a patron of the Five Forks branch, called Newton a friend and "consummate professional." She told the board she hoped it would offer an apology to both Newton and Phillips and offer their positions back.

She also told the board she's been in contact with the American Civil Liberties Union as well as a national Drag Queen Story Hour group about the issue.

Bain, a lifelong patron of the library, thanked the board for routinely providing a place that is available for everyone in the community, but noted concern that the recent staff changes seemed to stem from the Drag Queen Story Hour.

Bain said she was initially surprised the event was happening, but that it prompted discussions within her own family.

"It gave us an opportunity to explore and acknowledge the diversity that exists in our community and to do so within an atmosphere of love and acceptance," Bain said.

Bain asked that the board review what led to the staff changes and encouraged the board to provide the same free exchange of ideas and equality to employees that it provides to the general public.

After hearing from the three speakers, board member Joe Poore asked the board if it would have a discussion related to the issue.

No plans were made for a discussion.

Chace Campbell, board chair, told The News he didn't know if they would have a meeting to discuss the issue.

"Usually personnel issues don't come to the level of the board," Campbell said.

"There's a real interesting balance here because you've got personnel issues which are supposed to be kept private and, obviously, today three people addressed the board," he said.