Hadley Library Trustees Approve One-Year Director Contract Amid Budget Uncertainty

HADLEY -- April 14, 2026, Hadley Library Trustees renew director's contract for one year, citing town budget uncertainty. The board, meeting April 14, voted unanimously on several housekeeping measures, including eliminating the board chair's wet-signature requirement on Library Director Patrick's timesheets in favor of electronic submission, a change prompted by Jennifer Sanders-James, the town's procurement officer. Trustees also voted to close the library on Saturday, July 4, 2026, the actual Independence Day, even though Friday, July 3 is the town-observed paid holiday; staff wishing to be off Saturday will use vacation time. The director reported a record average of 130 patron visits per day in March, up roughly 18 percent over the prior year, while flagging new water infiltration in the local history room and office area and a stalled LEED certification effort; designer Phil O'Brien has said the building cannot accumulate enough certification points without rooftop solar panels, and a $100,000 incentive grant tied to the application faces a May 1 deadline.