Hadley Library Board Transfers Musket, Prepares for Possible Override Budget Cuts

HADLEY -- June 10, 2025, Hadley Library trustees approved the transfer of a historic musket to the Hadley Historical Society and heard a sobering budget briefing at their June 10 meeting. Library Director Patrick told the board that May 2025 patron counts broke the library's all-time monthly record, running 17 percent above May 2024, with 190 people coming through on the meeting day alone, a surge driven largely by the closure of Amherst's Jones Library for renovation. The director presented two-year budget scenarios, prepared at the request of Interim Town Administrator Mike Mason and Treasurer Linda Sanderson, covering FY26 and FY27 under both an override-passing and override-failing outcome; the reduced scenario strips all non-personnel operating expenses and draws on library gift funds to cover materials. "It's really kind of inconceivable that we can just take someone out of the mix to save money and then not suffer in other ways," the director said. The board also reorganized, with Lynn Latham continuing as chair and Jack elevated to vice chair, and tentatively moved the July meeting to the 15th due to the director's travel.