Will the third time be the Charm for the New Shutesbury Library?

Seshat Goddess of Libraries

Mirick Spear and I share a love of books and support of the library.

Mirick Spear- benefactor 

The need for more library space was identified by the Trustees and Library Director Lynda Pryblo in the 1995 library plan.

The MN Spear Memorial Library Building built for a population of three hundred in 1902 at a cost of $1547.61 now serves an active community more than four times the size. The library has no running water but offers access to high speed internet in a town where fewer than half the families had access in 2011. The library is charming but inadequate.

in 2001 the library building committee, in response to a small but vocal opposition withdrew their plan before town meeting could vote on it.

In 2004 land was purchased for municipal use and it was approved as a site for an eventual new library. 

In 2010 the plan for a new library received 89% support at town meeting. The town's agreement to pay their share of the grant got the required 2/3 at town meeting but the ballot vote required a majority and tie vote meant forfeiting the grant .

The current Library trustees believe it is prudent to wait until 2020, hoping for a third planning grant to begin the process all over again. I am not confident the current political climate looks good for the future of money to build new libraries.

In the May 2018 Our Town Newsletter, the Trustees share a vision of an eventual new library. They explain how they will go about it differently next time.

I am still sensitive and try to avoid the library discussion but feel like the trustees are apologizing for what volunteers did well. The new library plan had a majority of support until the last vote on funding. It was complicated and the final vote lost by one.  Reaching across the lines of disagreement with compassion is one of the lessons I learned in six hours of mediation with library opponent Sharon Raymond. Saying next time we will reach out more negates the good work of the volunteers. Reaching out to the pockets of community to improved communication was the first thing we did after talking to the previous building committee who said no matter what you do, there is a small group that is opposed to a new library.

 I hope the trustees can convince me that waiting at least another ten years to begin building a library is a good idea. I hope they can convince me they will not be limited in their vision by people like Bill Wells who suggested the library could be built underground so you wouldn't have to to see it. I hope they will actually read the library building program and learn from the experiences of the previous two planning committees.


 Headlines tell the story.

• Shutesbury Library expansion criticized Gazette April7-8, 2001
• Shutesbury puts library on hold Monday May 5, 2001Daily Hamp Gazette
• Library plans sweet reward- chocolate to lure public’s input Feb 9, 2007 Gfld Recorder
• Shutesbury Aims to jumpstart Friends group Gfld Recorder date?
• Shutesbury seeks volunteers for library facility panel The Recorder (Date?)
• 032 Deemed a fine site for Shutesbury Library Gazette 1/10/10
• Library in Wings? Forum 4/10 Gazette
• Shutesbury TM: Move ahead on a new library Gazette 5/3/10
• Shutesbury seeks state funding for a new library 2/5/11 Gazette
• Shutesbury officials submit aid request for new library project 2/8/11
• Big Step forward for Shutesbury Gazette 7/15/11
• Area libraries receive provisional state grants 7/15/12
• Area towns net 9.5 M for libraries 7/15/11 gazette
• Shutesbury takes first step in approving new library 10/26/11 Gazette
• Library override on ballot 11/11 Gazette
• Late Drive defeats Shutesbury Library ; Library rejected in Shutesbury 11/11/11 Gazette
• Shutesbury to hold second vote on library. Hearing draws 200-plus to speak for/against revote date?
• When  a library becomes a lighting rod: tensions are high in Shutesbury as a showdown looms 12/10/11
• Visit our library - Margo Culley letter to ed The Recorder 12/13/11
• Shutesbury library proponents, opponents busy campaigning before revote Gazette 1/6/12
• Consultant finds no contamination at planned Shutesbury library site 1/7/12 Gazette
• Library by Numbers Gazette1/9/12
• Tie vote on Shutesbury LibraryRecorder:1/11/12 Library Limbo Gazette 1/13/12
• Yes vote breaks tie on library: SHutesbury weighs possible recount Gazette 1/18/12
• Shutesbury library vote tied again: Shutesbury recount spells defeat for library Gazette 1/26/12
• Seizing opportunity in Shutesbury Gazette 12/23/11
• The longest election 1/28/12 Gazette editorial
• Embattled Shutesbury library project forges on Gazette 1/31/12
• Shutesbury Library supporters sue town over Jan 25 recount Gazette 2/4-5/12
• State extends Shutesbury grant deadline Gazette 2/3/12
• Shutesbury library doesn’t have votes The Recorder 5/4/12
• Shutesbury Fails to break the tie: Montague Reporter 5/17/12
• Shutesbury library video gets international attention: Celebrities tweeting about it, donations come in from around the world Gazette 3/10/12
• Sides argue Shutesbury voter status 4/24/12
• Shutesbury Library supporters appeal Recorder 5/12/12Shutesbury Library: One more round Recorder 6/14/12
• Library Shelved Gazette June 30-July 1 2012