Who Can Kill a Library? Apparently, we can.
Revised February 9, 2008
I HEART MY LIBRARY
U SHOULD 2
On the day following the last town election, our 10-year-old made this sign and posted it on our front door. I view it as an indictment of all of the adults in town who could not overcome our squabbling long enough to save the essential services of a library. We are now -- by far -- the largest town in Massachusetts without a library.

It is time for the grown-ups of Bridgewater to man-up and woman-up!

February 7, 2008: Bridgewater library loses state certification.
You can comment on this story at WickedLocal Bridgewater.

These were some thoughts I posted on the library's blog following the "wake" for the Bridgewater Public Library, held September 18, 2007, a few days after people in the town of Bridgewater voted to cut most public services, inlcuding the library:
What is wrong with our town? What kind of place kills its library?

What has happened to all of the rhetoric about caring for children and valuing education? More to the point, what happened to all of the flag-waving and patriotism that erupted six years ago? Remember late 2001, when people claimed to care about their country, their community, and their neighbors? Where did all of that go? Did it blow away with all of those cheap plastic flags, because people did not mean any of it?

What do we tell our children? I am embarrassed for children -- my own or others -- to see me these days, because I am a Bridgewater "grownup" who could not stop the civic suicide of this town. What are we going to tell those teenagers skulking about town claiming there is nothing better for them to do, now that there really is nothing better for them to do?

Boston is the home of public libraries in America. Bridgewater is the home of public education in America. Both of these are the bedrock institutions of a healthy democracy. This is not a good time to be letting go of democratic institutions.

When will we make this better?
A couple of weeks later, voters partially reversed the damage. At town meeting on October 9, 2007, voters approved a plan that will keep the library limping along through June 30, 2008. The plan, proposed by the library trustees, relies heavily on the personal sacrifices of many dedicated librarians. My only fear is that some people will consider the problem solved by this stop-gap approach. I hope that view does not prevail, and that Bridgewater voters eventually step up to the plate and start paying the appropriate costs of town services.

Here is the plan, as described by the trustees:
Citizens for a Better Bridgewater
Join those who are fed up and are getting organized!

In addition to CBB, at least one local political leader is trying to call us together.

The Trustees of the Bridgewater Public Library met on Thursday, October 4, 2007 to discuss budget issues.

After careful examination of the funds that will remain after the Special Town Meeting on October 9, 2007, the Trustees
determined that the library could operate with limited hours and services through June 30, 2008.   This action is only possible due to
a great sacrifice from the library staff.  Ten members will be laid off.  The remaining eight staff members agreed to reduce their hours
from 35 hours per week to 20 hours per week, in order to keep the library open for a limited schedule.

The Trustees voted that the library will be open 15 hours per week, beginning the week of October 15.  Every effort will be made to develop a schedule that would best serve our public.
 EMERGENCY HOURS

Tues: 2 pm - 7 pm
Wed: 12 noon - 5 pm
Thur: 9 am - 2 pm

Unfortunately, some citizens of Bridgewater choose to look at public services as a zero-sum game. Some of the least-principled among us prefer to blame specific departments for the budget problems of the town, rather than facing the fact that our willingness to pay for services has not been matching our expectations for services in the areas of public safety, education, or other critical services. Because nobody wants to move into a crumbling, poorly managed town that disdains children and seniors alike, property values are in a freefall.

My rough estimate is that this short-sighted approach has taken $50,000,000 or more -- probably much more -- out of the value of property in town, all to save a few hundred bucks a piece on taxes!

Although Bridgewater is by far the largest town to close its library, we are not alone. Our fellow citizens in Saugus, Massachusetts are trying to prevent a similar catastrophe. I wish them well!

WBUR in Boston has noticed our plight. Listen to "Bridgewater Broke" to hear more about the problem and its causes. Please also see Rebecca Starcevic's excellent article about the crisis in the Brockton Enterprise.

Return to Dr. Hayes-Bohanan's Environmental Geography page.

All opinions expressed here are those of Dr. Hayes-Bohanan, who cherishes the First Amendment! If free speech is a religion, libraries are its churches.