Idea #84 – Reduce Library Hours/Use Benton Library

Report Status: Fully Reviewed

Researched by: Anne Helgen

Original Idea as Submitted

Consider a reduction in hours for the library. Explore closing the library on certain days (e.g., Monday and Tuesday) or change library hours to open late two days a week (noon on T & Th, for instance)

Other ideas included in this report

  • #83 – Move Children's Room to the Benton to allow growth at the Main Branch

Idea intent

Operating expenditures such as salaries and utilities could be reduced if the library reduced the number of days it was open. Use of the Benton Library could free up needed space in the main Library.

Weighted Final Score: 37 (Benton Library)**
**(Financial Impact: 3, Operational Impact: 0, Time Scale: 2, Ease of Implementation: 3)*

Background Information

1) The idea of reducing hours dates from 2010. Currently, the Belmont Public Library is currently closed all day Sundays and until 11 am on Thursdays.

Massachusetts public libraries are required to remain open for a minimum number of hours to maintain accreditation by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The Belmont Public Library is required to have accreditation to participate as a member library in the Minuteman Library network, through which the library annually accesses thousands of books, periodicals and other resource material for residents that would otherwise not be feasible to purchase or keep on hand. In addition, the library is also able to purchase materials at a cheaper rate through bulk purchases made by network libraries. Loss of certification would eliminate these services, limit access by Belmont residents and jeopardize state funding.

To be a certified Library by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, a library must meet the minimum standards of free public library service:

  1. Meet Municipal Appropriation Requirement – (MAR). Under Massachusetts law (MCL c78, s19a) state that a municipality must appropriate a figure of at least 2.5% of the average of the last three years municipal appropriations in order to be certified for MLBC state aid. (Capital appropriations are not included in these calculations.) Annual state aid for Belmont’s library ranges from $25,000 to $35,000 annually.

  2. Remain open a minimum number of hours per week and a minimum number of days per week, based on population. For Belmont, the minimum hours required are 59 hours per week and the minimum days are six. Currently, the Library is open 62 hours per week, spread over six days.

  3. Allow non-resident borrowing

  4. Expend a specific percentage (based on population) of the municipal appropriation on materials. Currently, the Library is required to spend 13% of its appropriation on materials.

  5. Have a Director with a Master’s Degree in Library Science.

If these requirements are not met, participation in the state program, as well as Minuteman, would be in jeopardy. This includes access to many state databases, advocacy, and the state aid funding. In instances of hardship, waivers may be granted for continued access to these programs. Waivers are granted only to the extent that remedies are put in place to address the circumstances that have resulted in not meeting state standards.

2) The Everett C. Benton Library is housed in an historic building on property owned by the Town and licensed through December 2022 to the Friends of Benton Library, a 501c (3) organization which runs the library as an independent branch. It is open approximately from 9-16 hours per week based on availability of volunteers. The arrangement was initiated by the Friends group and put in place in 2010, after the town evaluated closing the branch as a cost saving measure in the wake of the 2008-2009 economic downturn. The Friends group is fully responsible for the costs of operating the library, including utilities, building and landscape maintenance, and insurance. No town or state funds are used to support the operations or maintenance of the building, except through grant programs. The Belmont Public Library works with the independent branch but does not oversee its operation. There is no dedicated parking for the building.

The library operates with 60 volunteers and approximately 150 donors. Per Elizabeth Gibson of the Friends group, annual operating costs are $10,000, including heat and utilities, maintenance, book purchases and supplies. The Friends group has also financed improvements such as a new furnace, a new bathroom and painting of the building.

Per the Library Director and Library Trustees, the Benton Library building is not large enough to serve as the Children’s room. The number of children’s programs and volume of materials would prohibit cost-efficient use of the building, and any partial use would require additional staff.

Recommendations

  • Belmont Public Library hours: No recommendation. Belmont’s library has the 10th largest circulation in the state and is heavily used by residents. The library’s hours are close to the minimum set by the state for a town of Belmont’s size.

  • The Benton Library property: The SCIG is tasked with identifying opportunities to reduce the structural deficit by identifying new recurring revenue sources and expenditure reductions. While this beloved branch is cost neutral to the General Fund Budget, the property is underutilized and services a limited population.

The SCIG has identified potential recurring revenue and expenditure opportunities to consider, including:

Revenue-producing uses of the building:

  • Fee-based recreational, adult, pre-school and after-school, day care, or other programs.

  • Long term rental to a third party, such as a school, small office, or specialized entity (e.g., language or math schools, small foundation, etc.).

  • Short term event rental or other uses, either in conjunction with the existing use as library branch or the above uses.

  • Sale of the property as a one-time source of funds, with potential recurring tax revenue.

Possibilities to reduce ongoing town costs:

  • Utilization of the building to alleviate town department space concerns.

  • Utilization of the property to eliminate rental costs currently incurred by town departments or other entities for space (an example might be Retirement Board offices).

Next Steps

  1. Recommendations regarding the use of the Benton Library property should be consolidated with the real estate review and recommendations provided by the SCIG Consolidation, Regionalization and Outsourcing working group.

  2. The SCIG recommends that the Select Board and/or Town Administrator

  • Conduct a building inspection to determine the condition of the building and any upgrades needed for alternate potential uses

  • Hire a consultant or use a short-term task force to assess the status of the Benton property. Such analysis would Identify possibilities to increase utilization of the Benton Library property to generate new sources of recurring revenues or reduce town costs.

  • Determine what recurring costs would be assumed by the town, as well as the initial costs to adapt the building for such uses.

  • Use this information to determine the cost/benefit of maintaining the property as an independently operated branch library.

  1. The SCIG recommends that the Select Board engage the neighborhood and community to solicit public input throughout this process.

Further Reading

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