By Miles Layton

COLUMBIA — Lynda Mastronardo says she didn’t leave quietly by choice.

Nearly a month after her departure from the Tyrrell County Library, the former branch manager has broken her silence, posting a detailed account to social media that contradicts the official narrative and describes a process she says gave her no real opportunity to defend herself.

“Over the past several weeks, I have received many kind messages from members of the Tyrrell County community following my departure from the Tyrrell County Library,” Mastronardo wrote. “I am deeply grateful for that support and feel it is important to briefly clarify the circumstances surrounding my forced resignation.”

Pettigrew Regional Libraries Director Nate King said when Mastronardo was given her final notice, she was given the option to resign, which she accepted. See more below.

The post has added new fuel to a community debate that has been building since February — one that has produced an online petition, a standing-room crowd at a Columbia town council meeting, and questions about how a librarian widely praised for her service to one of North Carolina’s smallest counties came to lose her job.

The Pettigrew Regional Library Board oversees the administration of the four regional libraries, including Tyrrell County Library.  They have a public meeting at 11 a.m. Monday at 11 at their offices in Plymouth. People from Tyrrell County will be there to show their support for Mastronardo to be reinstated as the Library director. 

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A Timeline That Raises Questions

According to Mastronardo’s account, the process unfolded quickly and with little transparency.

On February 9, 2026, she said she was called into a meeting and told, for the first time, that grievances had been filed against her over the previous year. She asked for specifics so she could respond. None were provided.

Two staff members were interviewed as part of an investigation, Mastronardo said, and both stated the grievances were not true. Despite that, the outcome did not change.

“On February 18 I was informed that the grievances had been determined to be valid and that my employment was ending immediately,” she wrote. “I was presented with a prepared resignation letter and told that signing it would allow me to receive my accrued vacation time.”

What makes the timeline particularly striking is what happened just weeks before. On January 5, 2026 — five weeks before her termination — the Pettigrew Regional Library’s director had written a letter recommending Mastronardo to the North Carolina Library Association Leadership Institute.

In that letter, the director wrote that she “possesses the intellectual curiosity, the professional drive, and the heart for service” the program seeks, offering his “highest recommendation without reservation.”

Mastronardo included that detail pointedly, letting the contrast speak for itself.

UPDATED: Friday, Pettigrew Regional Libraries Director Nate King responded with this statement:

Lynda was told what the specific allegations were and that the regional office received the documented complaints on 1/27. These complaints had been compiled over the course of a year but had not been provided to the regional office until 1/27. 

Lynda and two other staff members were interviewed. Based on the results of the interviews, it was determined that Lynda had violated regional policy concerning personal conduct on the job. When Lynda was given her final notice, she was given the option to resign, which she accepted. Lynda is free to share her final notice with anyone.

Pettigrew Regional Libraries thanks Lynda for all that she has done for the Tyrrell County Library and the community of Tyrrell County. 

When her departure was first reported in February, King confirmed only the basic facts.

“Lynda Mastronardo resigned as the Tyrrell County Branch Manager on February 18th,” King said at the time. “We thank Lynda for all that she has done for the Tyrrell County Library and wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

King’s statement offered no explanation of the circumstances, and the Pettigrew Regional Library system has issued no additional public statement since Mastronardo’s social media post. King is currently overseeing day-to-day operations at the Tyrrell County branch while a search is underway to hire a permanent replacement — a role he held himself before Mastronardo took over when he was promoted to director.

King said interviews for the position of Tyrrell County Librarian have been concluded, and an applicant has been chosen contingent on a background check. We plan to make an announcement once the background check has concluded.

Tyrrell County Manager David Clegg has said the county had no role in the matter. Library employees, he explained, are not county employees and are not subject to county personnel policy.

“No Pettigrew Library System employees are on the payroll of Tyrrell County,” Clegg said a few weeks ago.

Nearly Six Years of Service

Whatever the internal disputes that led to her departure, Mastronardo’s tenure at the Tyrrell County Library left a visible mark on a county of fewer than 3,000 people — one of the smallest in the state and one where public institutions carry an outsized weight in community life.

“Serving the people of Tyrrell County for nearly six years was one of the greatest honors of my career,” Mastronardo wrote. “I remain grateful for the relationships built through story times, homeschool programs, community partnerships, and the many conversations that took place within the library’s walls.”

Mastronardo came to Columbia in 2019 and embedded herself in the community beyond the library’s walls. In May 2022, she was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Columbia Board of Aldermen and was subsequently elected to another term. She currently remains a sitting member of the town council — a position that added an unusual dimension to Monday night’s meeting, where her colleagues voted on how to respond to her situation as a colleague and constituent simultaneously.

“Thank you to the families, students, seniors, and community members who have reached out with encouragement and kindness,” Mastronardo wrote at the close of her post. “Your support means more than I can adequately express.”

Community Responds

The response from Tyrrell County has been swift and visible.

An online petition calling for Mastronardo’s reinstatement has drawn signatures from residents who describe her in terms usually reserved for institutions, not individuals. The petition calls her “an indispensable pillar of our community,” saying her “dedication to educating the youth and supporting residents has touched many lives and left a lasting positive impact.”

Supporters wrote that she had been “a visionary leader, introducing programs that inspire our youth, promote literacy, and provide educational support for adults,” and that under her leadership “the library has become a welcoming, safe space for all residents, regardless of age or background.”

The petition argues that “reinstating Lynda as the branch librarian is not only fair but vital for the future prosperity and education of our community,” and that “her absence leaves a void that is keenly felt by families, students, and everyday library-goers.”

It closes with a direct appeal to library administration and local authorities: “We call on the Tyrrell County Library administration and the local authorities to reinstate Lynda Mastronardo to her position. By doing so, we ensure that our library continues to thrive as a hub of knowledge and support for every person in Tyrrell County.”

That sentiment carried into Columbia’s town council chambers earlier this month, where a crowd packed the room in a show of support that was unusual for a small-town municipal meeting. Amy Lowdermilk-Odom, speaking on behalf of the Friends of Tyrrell Library, addressed the council directly, asking members to write a letter of support on Mastronardo’s behalf, recognizing her service and advocating for her character and professionalism.

The council approved the request.

Bobbie McElfish and Octavis Woodard also addressed the council during public comments, praising Mastronardo’s leadership and urging town leaders to stand behind her. Monday’s turnout made plain that for many residents, this is not a bureaucratic personnel matter — it is personal.

Where Things Stand

As of this week, the official record still reads that Mastronardo resigned on February 18. The Pettigrew Regional Library system has not publicly addressed her account of events, and no timeline has been given for when a permanent replacement will be named.

Mastronardo, for her part, has not indicated whether she intends to pursue any formal action. Her post reads less like the opening of a legal fight than the statement of someone who wanted the truth on the record — who signed a resignation letter under circumstances she felt compelled to describe, and who wanted the community that supported her to know what she says actually happened.