The Abbot Public Library — newly renovated and seeing a surge in use — could close its doors in December if deep budget cuts tied to the town’s projected $7.7 million fiscal 2027 deficit move forward.
On March 4, Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer laid out two scenarios to address the budget gap. One would close the library all together. The second scenario would cut the library’s salary budget by about 50% and eliminate its materials budget.
Gary Amberik is chair of Abbot Library’s board of trustees. He says even under the second scenario the library could continue operating only until Dec. 1 — just months before its planned 150th anniversary in 2027.
Amberik told the Current that the cuts would make it impossible to meet the minimum staffing and service requirements required for certification by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Losing that certification would have cascading effects for the town and its residents.
“Drastic salary reductions create a direct line to decertification of the municipality and the library, triggering a catastrophic loss of access to the North Of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE),” Amberik wrote in an email.
NOBLE is the regional network that allows residents to borrow books and other materials from libraries across the North Shore. Without certification, Marblehead residents would lose those privileges.
“Residents would find their library cards blocked at neighboring municipalities, losing the ability to check out materials across the region,” Amberik explained. “By losing certification, the town sacrifices the shared technological and delivery framework that makes modern library service possible.”
Under state rules, libraries must meet several requirements to remain certified and receive state aid, including maintaining a municipal appropriation requirement and meeting minimum standards for hours of operation. For a town the size of Marblehead, that means offering roughly 45–50 hours of service each week.
The library currently relies on the town budget to pay the salaries of a 24-person staff — including two administrators, 12 full-time employees and 10 part-time workers. Officials say the proposed budget cuts would make meeting those standards impossible.
The town would also need to rely on private funding to maintain the minimum materials spending required by the state.
$10 million renovation
The potential closure comes just a few years after voters approved a $10 million renovation of the library building.
“Think of it this way: Marblehead has built a world-class engine, but without an adequate operating budget for staff and materials, we have no fuel to run it,” Amberik said. To protect the taxpayers’ $10M investment, we must ensure the library has the operational support to stay open and functional.”
Calling for an override
The only way to avoid closure under the current projections would be a voter-approved tax override, according to Amberik.
“We are hopeful that town leadership will put forth an override article that is fair and balanced, and maintains all of the services and amenities the town of Marblehead deserves, including access to a first-class library and all it has to offer.”
Usage statistics suggest strong demand for the facility. Library officials said 2025 circulation increased 47% to 210,626 items. The Killam Children’s Room recorded 19,303 visits, and the library logged about 2,800 meeting-room reservations.
“But these aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet,” Amberik said “The 19,303 visits to the Killam Children’s Room and the 2,800 meeting room reservations represent the heartbeat of Marblehead. If the library closes on December 1, 2026, those interactions don’t just move elsewhere, they disappear. We aren’t just facing a budget cut; we are facing the dismantling of a system that provides valuable resources to our neighbors.”
Amberik said the proposal also came as a surprise to the library.
“Yes we prepared a level funded budget back in November, and we were told on 2/20/26 that the library would be funded. On Sunday 2/22 we were told that our library materials budget was going to be cut by $100,000. Then on Tuesday 3/3, the day before the Select Board meeting, we were informed that our staff budget was going to be cut by 50%.”
What will it take to keep the library open?
“To restore our level-funded budget, we would need $700,000, which represents only around 0.65% of the town budget,” Amberik said. “The sad fact is that we save Marblehead residents thousands of dollars a year through books, movies, programs, meeting space and museum passes, totaling over $5 million in FY25.”
Library leaders said the loss would extend far beyond books.
“The library is Marblehead’s great equalizer. It is the only space in town where a student can study for hours, a senior can read the daily papers in a heated room, and a remote worker can access high-speed internet, all without the ‘entry fee’ of a coffee shop or a private club.”
They also warned that losing state certification would affect residents across the region.
“It is also vital for residents to understand that if we lose state certification, not only does the library close, but your Marblehead library card will effectively expire everywhere. You won’t just lose access to this building; you will be blocked from borrowing books in Swampscott, Salem, Lynn, Peabody or Danvers. We would become an ‘information island,’ cut off from the regional resources our taxpayers have helped build for decades.”
As the town approaches the library’s milestone anniversary, Amberik said the stakes are historic.
“We are standing on the threshold of our 150th anniversary in 2027. For a century and a half, through world wars and economic shifts, Marblehead has prioritized the shared knowledge of its citizens. To shutter these doors now, just months before such a historic milestone, would be a profound break in the continuity of our town’s identity.”
Amberik added: “To everyone who considers Abbot Public Library their second home: We hear you, and we share your deep concern. The idea of Marblehead without its library isn’t just a budget line item; it’s a loss of our town’s ‘living room’ and a vital resource for every generation.”
