Boston Globe Editorial: Massachusetts: “Every Town, No Matter How Small, Needs a Good Library”

From The Boston Globe:

State policy makers should do more to meet the unique needs of small rural libraries. These libraries need more money, and one way to ensure they get it would be for state lawmakers to set aside some library funding specifically for rural libraries, so that they are not competing with bigger institutions. Many could also use more training in specialized areas like serving patrons experiencing homelessness or people with disabilities.

In urban centers around Boston, libraries are ubiquitous and bustling. City libraries in Boston and Cambridge have multiple branches, extensive hours, specialized staff, and a plethora of materials. But drive two hours west and libraries look different. There are still active, busy libraries that are vital community gathering places. There are also those open just 10 hours a week, that employ a lone librarian, and that lack a bathroom, meeting room, or young adult section.

Small towns without businesses rely on residential property taxes to fund not just their police and fire departments but also their libraries. Even in towns where residents strongly support the library, there’s often little money available for books and librarians.

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Filed under: Funding, Libraries, News, Patrons and Users