As a frequent user of the Harvard Public Library, I am very concerned that the library is absorbing more than 11 percent of the town’s budget reduction. (The library represents less than 3 percent of the town’s operating budget.) The Harvard Public Library is the only town department that has something for everyone in the entire community, from toddlers to senior citizens—story hours and activities for children, research and reference materials for students, leisure reading materials, DVDs, museum passes, lectures and performances in Volunteers Hall, and delivery service to homebound residents.
Under Mary Wilson’s leadership, and since the opening of the new library, library usage has increased dramatically. In tough economic times it will increase even more. (An article in the Acton/Boxborough Beacon Feb. 19 indicates that those communities are already experiencing significant increases in library usage.) Instead of buying books from Barnes & Noble or Amazon, we will borrow them from the library. Instead of going to the movies, we will borrow a DVD. We will check out a museum pass to obtain free or discounted admission. We will cancel subscriptions and read the library’s materials. Residents who have lost their jobs will use library resources to research business opportunities and to update their résumé-writing skills. Some will rely on the library for Internet access. Trained reference librarians are there to help.
Looking ahead, since the Harvard Public Library has already absorbed a disproportionate share of the town’s spending cuts, any future cuts should come from other sources. This is not the time to cut library services any further. It is a time to recognize the services that the Harvard Public Library can provide in a tough economy.
Selectman Leo Blair has said that the Harvard Public Library is Harvard’s “town jewel.” Let’s keep it that way.
Vicary Maxant
Glenview Drive
