Letter: Library needs reaching critical stage in Boxford

Opinion

Discussion

The Salem News has a real-name policy for commenting. Users may sign in using the Facebook Connect tool above the comments field. Once your first comment is posted by a moderator, all future comments will post automatically. If you prefer not to use Facebook, send an e-mail with your comments user name (which must be the same as your real name), city or town, street address and daytime phone number to comments@salemnews.com. A staff member will contact you directly to confirm your identity. It may take a day or two before you can post comments. Only your user name will be public. All users are required to follow our rules for commenting, which can be found here.

comments powered by Disqus

April 9, 2008

Anonymous The Salem News Wed Apr 09, 2008, 05:45 AM EDT

To the editor:

The Boxford Board of Library Trustees is pleased that residents are actively debating the future of our libraries. We have become concerned, however, that inaccurate and incomplete information has been circulated and now find it appropriate to respond publicly.

Boxford is at a crossroads with respect to the structural condition of our library facilities. Both buildings (10 Elm St. and 188 Washington St.) are so close to physical failure that a building inspector would be completely within their bounds to shut down both facilities today! Both buildings require hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of work to become compliant with commercial building codes. Neither is accessible to people with physical disabilities. The foundation and structural integrity of both buildings are compromised and their septic systems are outdated and raise environmental concerns.

A primary charge to the trustees is to oversee the efficient use of tax dollars allocated by our town administrators for library programs and services, as well as provide a level of library service consistent with the wishes of Boxford residents. This requires us to continually gather input from both professional and local sources; analyze the input, and then make recommendations. Boxford voters will always have the ultimate authority to pursue, or not, through Town Meeting and at the polls, any proposal recommended by the trustees.

You may recall the 2008 Library Facilities Survey mailed to all households in January. We are pleased to share the results:

r 647 surveys were returned, representing 22 percent of Boxford households.

r 55 percent of respondents recommended exploring new construction (site to be determined).

r 15 percent recommended renovating the East facility only.

r 15 percent recommended renovating both East and West facilities.

r 11 percent of returned surveys responded with "None of the above" or "Do nothing."

r 1.5 percent recommended renovating the West facility only.

To view the results of the survey and all the comments, please go to the town of Boxford Web site at www.town.boxford.ma.us

The principal objections listed by respondents for improving existing library facilities were opposition to increased taxes or questioning the need, in this age of the Internet, for any library.

The trustees desire to provide a cost-effective solution consistent with the desires of the majority of Boxford residents. To this end, we are committed to initiating a capital campaign to offset the impact to taxpayers. Once town residents have made a decision regarding the facilities, the Permanent Nonschool Building Committee, a group of volunteer professionals from Boxford, will supervise the project, thereby providing additional free expertise.

Regarding the need for library services in the Internet age, a national study recently released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) entitled "Interconnections: The IMLS National Study on the Use of Libraries, Museums and the Internet," reports that attendance at public libraries has actually increased since the advent of the Internet. In addition, in this era of increased personal isolation, public libraries provide value as a vital community meeting place, providing opportunities for socialization and equal access to information for residents of all ages.

Circulation statistics confirm that many Boxford residents frequently use the libraries of North Andover, Topsfield, Haverhill, Georgetown and Andover — all larger, updated, more comfortable and accessible facilities — courtesy of Boxford's compliance with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) requirements for certification. However, if we as a town fail to maintain a level of library service that falls within the requirements prescribed for funding and other standards of operation by the MBLC, Boxford residents will lose the privilege of borrowing or accessing materials from any library in the commonwealth. This happened recently to residents of Beverly, Saugus and Bridgewater.

Typically, library boards, including Boxford's, maintain a standing policy not to lend materials to residents of a town with a closed library. Closing our libraries will eliminate borrowing privileges for all Boxford residents at any library in Massachusetts.

The Boxford Board of Library Trustees, an elected group of volunteers, invites all citizens of Boxford to review and understand the facts. Our library buildings are in crisis. "Do nothing" or "Do the minimum" are no longer practical options. Please attend Town Meeting on May 13 to cast your vote in support of a long-term solution that will result in continued library services to all residents of Boxford, for today and for the future.

SUSAN DALEY, Chair

KRISTEN BLAESER, Vice Chair

CHRISTINE BARENSFELD

CAROLE DAVIS

JANE MOODY

FRANK QUACKENBUSH

HEATHER REID

GUY SIMMONS

Board of Library Trustees

Boxford