OBSERVER CORPS REPORT JUNE 2025
Due to unforeseen circumstances this report had to be postponed several times. These past two years will be remembered as a very significant time in the history of the Falmouth Public Library. Topics summarized are:
1. The Library Board of Trustees
2. The appointment and service of Brian Stokes, Director
3. Continuing staffing concerns
4. The East Falmouth Library
5. Library Maintenance
6. Programs offered by the Library
7. Book Sales and discarding of out of date materials
8. Contributions of Linda Collins to Falmouth
As a town elective committee, the Library Board of course changes when trustees retire for whatever reason. In spring 2023 Lindsey Hopwood retired after 9 years of service and at the May town election Camille Romano, one of three candidates for the one seat, became the newest member of the Board and in June became the Board secretary. In 2024, after 5 years of service, Lucy Helfrich retired and in June Donna Mattison Earls joined the Board, having previously served three terms on the School Committee. This year incumbent Mary Fran Buckley ran unopposed and when Kathryn Elder announced her decision to retire, Judy Handley also ran unopposed and joins the Board this June. The 2025-2026 Board members are: Judy Fenwick, chair; Jennifer Alai, Mary Fran Buckley, Donna Mattison Earls, Judy Handley, Kathie Mount and Camille Romano. Following the 2024 town election, new Select Board member Heather Goldstone became the liaison to the Library Board, succeeding retiring Select Board member Onjali Scott Price.
Following the August 2023 decision of Linda Collins to retire as Library Director, Assistant Director Brian Stokes became Interim Director and the Board initiated the lengthy search for a worthy successor. There were 11 applicants and three finalists, and in June 2024 the Board unanimously acclaimed Stokes as the new Director. Meg Borden, longtime librarian of both the East and North Falmouth libraries, had been interim Acting Assistant Director but in 2024 she became Assistant Director. A search for her successor then began and in February 2025 Lindsay Manning became Managing Librarian for Branch Services, a new title. Previously she had been Assistant Director of the Mashpee Public Library.
Losing staff, interviewing applicants for the vacancies, and hiring new staff have added a time-consuming duty for Stokes. Over the past two years a number of senior staff have come and gone. The cost of living and the lack of affordable housing are major factors. Transfer of spouses to off-Cape jobs and attractive job offers elsewhere are other reasons for some unexpected vacancies. The Library Board does all it can to support staff and generously funds professional development opportunities. It also funds staff appreciation events and in 2025 there will be a specially catered working breakfast meeting. Over these past two years, long-serving library staff members who retired were Administrative Assistant Liz Farley in 2023, and in March 2025, Daryl Du Rivage after 27 years of technical assistance.
The most important responsibility the Board and Directors Stokes and Borden have faced and will continue to face for several years to come is the question of the fate of the East Falmouth Library. Some years ago it became increasingly evident that the library could no longer adequately serve its public. After interviews with staff, Board visits to the library, surveys and studies of what was needed, discussion narrowed to one question - should the library undergo significant renovation or should a new library be constructed? A formal assessment funded by the Board was completed by Gale Associates by early 2024 and at the April 2024 Town Meeting, the Board was authorized to apply for a Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program grant. The application was successful so the town of Falmouth was committed to appropriate $150,000 to fund the design phase preceding the construction phase. The long process began successfully thanks to the thorough, meticulous and timely work of all concerned. Falmouth was one of twenty-two Massachusetts town libraries that had applied to the state Board of Library Commissioners for funding and one of the 14 which did receive funding of $100,000 for the Planning and Design Phase. It was also one of only 6 towns waitlisted for construction phase funding. This means that those waitlisted must pass an independent review of the design phase by the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program to be recommended for a construction phase grant. If all continues to go as well as it has so far, construction might begin in 2027 with completion possibly by 2030. Much important work lies ahead for the Board and the Directors.
Library maintenance is a constant and of course comes with a price. Long on the list of projects has been the replacement of the main library windows but the cost has necessitated gradual replacement over several years with completion finally expected in May 2025. Even more costly will be the replacement of the main library’s aging slate roof. Assessment of the roof was completed in 2024 and the May 2024 Town Meeting approved the design funding phase which is included in the town’s Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal year 2026.
Every week the Falmouth Enterprise lists all the library offerings for the week ahead but summer is an especially busy time for the Library with many events on the library lawn approved by the Board. In early 2025, the Board completed an amended grounds policy making clear the criteria applicants for lawn use must meet. The Board also helps fund one of the 6 nights of Movies Under the Stars and the library permits the public attending special events on the lawn to use the restrooms. At the 2024 Arts Alive event college student members of CLOC gave a delightful preview of the musicals presented last summer. It is hoped this might become an annual part of Arts Alive.
There is now a Senior Center book club which the library initiated in 2024 and Falmouth Reads Together continues to be an annual event. Over the past two years the Library and Neighborhood Falmouth have joined forces to offer programs of special interest to older Falmouth residents. Marion Bihari, chair of the Members Services and Activities committee of NF, assumed responsibility for planning programs and finding appropriate presenters. The library publicizes these programs, provides the Hermann Room and technology support, and keeps track of numbers attending each event. This year the library had hoped to use the annual federal funding grant of $7000 to hire a badly needed archivist. However, much to the surprise and joy of the Board at its May meeting, Judy Fenwick revealed that a very generous local supporter of the library stepped up to donate this amount when the federal government cancelled the grant. What a reminder of just what a caring community Falmouth enjoys.
In September 2024 the main library hosted its first Reference Book Bonanza after pruning the collection of out-of-date books. This public event offered these free to first-comers who took 412 books. Some 311 were recycled and 100 were given to the Friends of the Library which runs the two annual book sales enabling the library to offer many amenities it could not otherwise afford. The results:
· July 2023 - $66,060 (up $4000)
· December 2023 - $7500
· July 2024 - $81,584 (up $4000 from record year 2019)
· December 2024 - attendance down, sales down
When Linda Collins retired in August 2024, she was honored for her dedication to growing the outreach of the library to Falmouth. Here are ones which the Board of Trustees supported and for which the Falmouth community is so grateful:
· Falmouth Enterprise online through 2017 Chill Zone created for teens
· Book bike acquired
· Digital postcard project begun
· Picnic tables on lawn in summer
· Movies Under the Stars in cooperation with Falmouth Village Association
· Book Discussion led in person and via zoom - Middlemarch by George Eliot
· Winter 2023 oral history project
Finally, being an observer of the Library Board of Trustees meetings over these past few years has been an education into the many facets of serving the Falmouth community that the Board of Trustees, the directors of the library, and the many staff members provide, so much of which is invisible to the community. As an observer I witness once a month what is really just a glimpse of all the hours of work behind the scenes but what a privilege. When my husband and I were deciding whether to move to Falmouth when we retired, the top reason was the Falmouth Public Library. Second was the hospital - care for the mind and body. Now I know how much more lucky we were to become part of this community than we could have imagined.
—Respectfully submitted,
Marcia Easterling
