“Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.”
Walter Kronkite, ALA “Libraries Change Lives” Campaign, 1995
There are few places in town my family loves more than the Rocky Hill Library. Between my wife and I and our nine-year-old, we have borrowed hundreds of books and enjoyed many programs put on by talented library staff and volunteers. For us, and for the thousands of Rocky Hill residents who use its services, the Library is a source of comfort, entertainment, knowledge, and community. That’s why I am angry that the library has been underfunded for years, and urge readers to support candidates who will fund this beloved town institution.
This June, the Town Council cut $70,510 from the proposed library budget. This budget was already smaller than it should have been, because it did not include a line for the vacant Assistant Director position that has been left open since our current Director Michael Murphy was promoted to the role. Not only does the library have $5,000 less to spend to provide residents with books, it is down an entire full-time position, whose duties now fall upon the director. These cuts continue a downward trend; the library today has a smaller budget than it did in 2018.
Let us be clear: the people of Rocky Hill use their library, and frequently. According to the director’s report, residents checked out more than 200,000 items in the last fiscal year. The people of Rocky Hill walked through the doors in more than 100,000 visits. 23,192 attendees attended 769 programs. The library is the few places that provides resources to everyone, from my book-ravenous nine-year-old to the elderly seeking tech support. It is also one of the vanishingly few places a person can expect to sit in comfort, read, enjoy access to the Internet and not be asked to pay for the experience.
Despite these successes, the library has lost between 75 and 90 hours of staff time per week over the past two budget cycles. Since trained library staff members are required to put on much of the hundreds of hours of services and activities the library provides, cuts to staff amounts to cuts to programming. Nevertheless, the town expects the library to increase visits and program participation by 2.5% this year. When you picture our librarians, imagine a team of dedicated public servants squeezed in a vice. We are demanding that our librarians deliver more with less.
When these cuts are mentioned, I have sometimes heard the argument that individual actions can fill the gap in our library’s budget. We are encouraged to write a check to the Friends of the Library Association, or volunteer our time to put on programming. These actions are both necessary and categorically insufficient for a town that wants a flourishing library at the heart of its community. My partner and I are members of the Friends of the Library Association. Mara serves on the Library Board of Trustees and I volunteer to put on a monthly chess club for children. Neither we nor any other volunteer can replace a full-time librarian.
This election, I urge you to ask candidates whether they support staffing the Rocky Hill Library, ideally returning to the staffing levels of 2023. This year’s slate of Democrats have committed to stopping the freefall of cuts and responsibly growing our staffing levels as the budget allows. I urge you to Vote A to support the Democrats in this election.
I draw encouragement from candidates like Kristen Dudanowicz, who offer a full-throated defense of our institutions.
“Our library is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline for students who need reading support, families who rely on technology access, and seniors who depend on connection and community. We should be investing in the places that make Rocky Hill stronger and more connected, not forcing them to do more with less year after year.”
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