Library Hopes To Restore Asst. Director Spot

Lynnfield Library officials are making another bid to have funding restored for the assistant library director position during the ongoing budget process.

Appearing before the town selectmen earlier this week, Library Director Nancy Ryan and Board of Directors Chairman Bob Calamari talked about the facility's goals for the coming year and beyond. Ryan noted that outside of the assistant director request, the library budget is level-funded except for a contractually required 3% salary increase.

At one point, Ryan noted that the assistant library director has not been funded since 2008. Town officials were unable to approve funding for the position last year based on the budget shortfall that characterized much of last spring's budget season. The position would carry a $55,000 annual salary plus about $10,000 in benefits.

While acknowledging the budget limitations that continue to face the town, Ryan also told selectmen that bringing back an assistant director would provide a considerable return on investment. Some potential gains for the library would be in the areas of securing grants, fundraising activities, as much as 20% more programming for adults and seniors, volunteer recruitment (especially volunteers skilled in areas like fundraising and marketing), and helping to promote new library technologies like e-books and e-readers. An assistant would also be able to provide some relief for the already-strained personnel in areas like staffing the reference desk, said Ryan.

"We must respond to profound changes to remain relevant to patrons," said the library director, adding that the library is "no longer a warehouse for books and magazines." Looking ahead, she noted that work is still getting underway on a 5-year plan for the library that could eventually see it equipped with things like separate study areas and even a cafe area.

"We see it as a cultural center that probably for us could be a bit larger than it is now," said Ryan.

Library Board Chair Bob Calamari also spoke to the selectmen about the coming budget year and beyond. He reiterated Ryan's point that an assistant director would be useful in bringing additional funding to the library, and cited the institution's goals of building up the e-books offerings and of adding various improvements to the library itself.

Calamari also indicated that soon, the library will make an announcement regarding restored weekend hours.

"There is some positive momentum going on at the library and if we can keep that going, we'd be very grateful," said Calamari.

Along with its request for the assistant director position, the library will seek the following capital budget items for FY 2013 for a total combined cost of $14,260:

- $11,060 for slat walls and laminate canopies in the children's room.

- $800 for the children's room reference desk.

- $2,000 for additional CD storage

- $400 for a book truck