I am admittedly prejudiced in favor of public libraries. I lugged piles of book back and forth from my local library as a child, had my first job as a library page and was happy to find a charming local library just up the street when my family and I moved to Hadley 20-odd years ago.
But I believe the time has come for Hadley to replace its aging library building. The second floor is inaccessible to the public and the basement level, where restrooms and nonfiction stacks are located, is reached by a dangerously narrow and steep staircase.
Library use and programming continue to grow rapidly, but there is often not suitable or sufficient space for meetings and programs. The library trustees and town residents have created a plan for a new library building on the Hooker School site, now the site of the Hadley Senior Center (this proposal has encouraged the town to have a much-needed and overdue conversation about the space and services needed by Hadley seniors).
The proposed library plan is eligible for a grant from the state for 54 percent of the cost, allowing Hadley taxpayers to recoup some of the taxes we all pay. And a committee has been formed to raise funds privately through a capital campaign.
The Hadley library serves the entire community and offers programs for toddlers, elementary school-aged children, teens and adults. It is a community meeting place and a source of information, education, and entertainment. Please join me in voting for Articles 18 and 19 at Town Meeting on Thursday to invest in Hadley’s future and allow the town to apply for state funding for a new library for Hadley.
Robie Grant
Hadley