To the Editor:
On behalf of the Bristol Area Library, I want to encourage the residents of Bristol to show their support of our library by voting in favor of the proposed budget of $13,000 at the Town Meeting on March 17.
The library saw unprecedented use last summer and as the economic recession has grown, so too has the use of libraries, on local and national levels, as more families and individuals take advantage of a library’s cost-saving features. Not only does our library have a wide range of books, books on tape, and a large assortment of DVD’s that can be borrowed by patrons, but we provide computers and wireless computer connections as well.
This past summer on Monday afternoons, when the library first opens for the week, it was so crowded patrons would sit on the floor, often with their laptops, as the desks and chairs weren’t enough to accommodate everyone. Patrons were forced to park on the road when the two parking lots were completely full.
In consent with Jackie Bennett, our librarian, the board voted, contingent on funding, to extend library hours to a full day on Mondays during July and August to better accommodate visitors. The board also voted to keep membership fees the same, to maintain the same level of affordability to patrons.
Our request of an additional $1000 over last year’s budget request is in part intended to compensate our librarian for the additional hours as well as to help defray rising operational costs.
The board of trustees is very grateful for the support the town gives to the library, which has represented approximately 20 percent of our total budget. The majority of our budget comes from donations and membership fees.
Without the generous financial assistance from the town, it would be a lot tougher to make ends meet – particularly now, as donations to non-profits and charities have been dropping.
The selectmen are recommending that the budgets of all “outside agencies” be cut this year. While technically, the Bristol Area Library fits into the category of an outside agency as it is a non-government agency, we hope that the residents recognize that we are their library, located in the heart of Bristol, right on Rt. 130, nearly opposite the Bristol Consolidated School, and serve the entire community of taxpayers.
We do not make this request of the town lightly, given the tough economic times, but in these tough economic times, the library will be there for you, the residents of Bristol. So, please do take the time to show your support of your library, and vote in favor of our request at the Town Meeting March 17, next Tuesday night, 7 p.m.
Kathleen Riess, President, Board of Trustees, Bristol Area Library
