Letter: Portsmouth library deserves more financial support

Posted 3/4/16

To the editor:

The Town of Portsmouth is starting the annual procedure of analyzing the town budget. This difficult project is being picked over by the town council and town manager. I am writing this letter to advocate for the Portsmouth …

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Letter: Portsmouth library deserves more financial support

Posted

To the editor:

The Town of Portsmouth is starting the annual procedure of analyzing the town budget. This difficult project is being picked over by the town council and town manager. I am writing this letter to advocate for the Portsmouth Free Public Library and its annual allocation in the budget.

The library is the focus of town activities for all ages from toddlers to senior citizens utilizing books, crafts, computers, tech support, research personnel, book clubs and historical activities. The library also hosts clubs, volunteer meetings and lectures. There are far too many services to enumerate all of them in this letter.

Our library receives less funding than any of the towns surrounding it. As a matter of fact, for a few years it did not get any increase in funding which led to problems and it has been extremely difficult to play catchup. Some of the difficulties are limited increases in salaries and minimal benefits to staff, not enough money to ensure quality speakers for programs or purchasing books, CDs or movies and etc.

Other matters of concern are boiler problems, basement flooding and mold, driveway update due to cracks and fire sprinkler damage. The physical building and property needs are hard to anticipate and usually come as a surprise and consequently further squeeze the budget.

The library is asking for a 3 percent increase this year. Why is it that every year it is a trial to get some kind of increase? I don’t know the answer but speculate that especially in an election year an increase in taxes is not popular not that in any year it is popular. Most of our citizens forget that everything costs more and same old budget won’t do it.

I believe that there is minimal appreciation or respect from our town leadership regarding this irreplaceable asset. I urge our town citizens to go to the Portsmouth town website to e-mail or call town council members to promote an adequate increase in the library budget allocation and/or to let them know how valuable this institution is to our town.

Janice L Gump

Trustee, Portsmouth Free Public Library

37 Aquidneck Ave.

Portsmouth

Portsmouth budget, Portsmouth Free Public Library, Portsmouth Town Council

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