Leaders at the Abbot Public Library Wednesday sent out a press release announcing that it will only be open three days a week under the town’s fiscal year 2027 budget, which has been approved by the Finance Committee and Select Board, but will ultimately be voted on at Town Meeting. The budget cuts about $700,000 from the library’s FY27 spending plan.
Many town leaders are proposing a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override to make up the library cuts and reductions to other town and school departments.
“The library is facing the largest budget cut in its 150-year history, which will have a profound effect on our staff and operations, said Gary Amberik, chair of the Library Board of Trustees. “Despite these challenges, we are fully committed to keeping the library open and providing as many of our services that our patrons rely on as possible.”
In March, Amberik and the library’s director, Kim Grad, had warned that the town’s budget cuts would force the library to close.
“Without an override, the library would operate under a strictly balanced budget, which necessitates a significant reduction in staff and a total restructuring of operations, with a plan to offer only three days of service per week. This scenario would result in the loss of 8.25 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, and the retention of 8.74 FTE positions, according to the release.
Other changes include:
— Weekly service hours will be reduced from 52 to 24 (no evenings or Saturdays).
— Marblehead residents’ library cards will no longer work in town towns. (People can apply for a Boston Public Library card.)
— Programming will be “significantly” reduced.
— The budget for new books and materials is eliminated.
— Youth services will be limited.
— There will be limited public access to meeting rooms.
“In 2026, 347 of the 350 municipalities in Massachusetts were certified to receive state aid by the Board of Library Commissioners,” according to the library’s press release. “A balanced budget without an override would place Marblehead among the few non-certified towns in the Commonwealth. Despite these challenges, Abbot Public Library remains dedicated to its mission as a free, inclusive and safe gathering place.”
The release concludes: “Abbot Public Library provides the town of Marblehead with essential resources for lifelong learning, digital literacy and community engagement. Even in times of fiscal constraint, the library strives to remain a cornerstone of local civic life.”
