Complaints came into the Grant Brimall/Thousand Oaks Library after hundreds of people were shut out of a public meeting there earlier this month.

On Aug.12 the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley held its usual monthly meeting at the library with healthcare as the topic. More people than could safely fit into the room lined up outside the library doors. Club members and friends of club members were allowed inside first, regardless of their position in the line. Once the public room was filled, everyone else was turned away.

It caused controversy.

“I’ve done so much for the library over the years, so it really bothered me that the library was being used for a personal or private meeting. That is not right,” said resident Caroline Howse.

Sally McArthur, meeting room coordinator for the library, said she received lots of calls after the meeting.

She explained that the library is a public building and meetings should be open to the public.

“All events must be open to the public; that’s what we expect of them,” McArthur said.

City spokesperson Andrew Powers confirmed that policy but said no violation had occurred.

“The requirement that community groups using library meeting rooms keep their functions open to the public doesn’t prohibit a group from giving preference to their membership first. There was no violation of policy in this case,” Powers said.

The group’s next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wed., Sept. 9 at the library.

A member of the Democratic Club didn’t immediately respond to a message left by the reporter.

—Nancy Needham