Hadley Library Scrambles for Book Suppliers After Baker & Taylor Collapse

HADLEY — October 14, 2025 — Hadley Library trustees grapple with sudden book distributor collapse, computer grant windfall. The Library Board of Trustees met October 14 to hear that Baker & Taylor, the library's primary book wholesaler, has abruptly gone out of business, forcing staff to reactivate a Barnes & Noble corporate account as a stopgap while the Massachusetts Hired Co-operative convenes a webinar on alternatives. The library director noted that wholesale discounts through Barnes & Noble are significantly lower than the competitive state-bid pricing Baker & Taylor provided, and that the leading alternative distributor, Ingram, may not be accepting new customers due to surging demand. On a brighter note, a Massachusetts Broadband Institute grant secured through the town's media department will fund five additional public computers, completing a ten-terminal public array — the first five were purchased with town capital funds approved last October — with all machines expected to be the same generation. The board also confirmed that a $3.9 million state construction grant carries a repayment restriction that would prevent the town from selling the library building without returning the funds to the state.