Wayland’s one-time Opportunity

Submitted by the Board of Library Trustees

Wayland has been awarded a grant of $10,137,980 by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) to help defray the cost of constructing a new public library at 195 Main Street, the site of the former Highway Department garage. Wayland voters must now decide whether to accept this grant and commit to the remainder of the cost of constructing a building that will serve our town for generations to come.

To keep this money, voters must vote Yes twice:

  • March 27th, at the election, vote Yes on ballot question 1, which allows the town to pay for library construction using a debt exclusion.
  • April 3rd, at Town Meeting, vote Yes on Article 17 to authorize funds to construct a new public library. Town Meeting starts April 2nd.

The Library Trustees have been studying library spaces and services at 5 Concord Road since 2001. We have formed six citizen committees, comprised of more than 70 elected, appointed, and volunteer citizens, and hired five professional teams of architects and engineers, four library consultants, and two survey analysts. Our committees, with input from 2,414 survey respondents plus forum and focus-group attendees, have produced eight final reports. Nearly a quarter of a million dollars has been spent. The most recent study, funded in November 2015 by Special Town Meeting, concluded that 5 Concord Road cannot be expanded to provide the services and spaces needed for this community now and well into the future. The Trustees compiled an application for a state grant, and Town Meeting in 2017 authorized its submission. As part of the grant review process, the MBLC dispatched a member of the review team to Wayland to evaluate our building. The MBLC agreed with our assessment of our spaces and services¬—out of 33 applications, we received the third-largest of nine grant awards. This is a one-time, site-specific, time-limited offer. To receive the grant, the Town must report two “Yes” votes to the MBLC by April 11, 2018.

The Board of Library Trustees would not ask voters to pay for a new public library without the help of state grant money. This spring, for a limited time, $10.1MM of our state tax dollars are available to us as a town.

What will we get? A public library that reflects the values we hold as a town: a dedication to academic excellence and to a strong, multigenerational community engaged in civic discourse and honest inquiry. A place that is open to us year-round. A place that excites our youngest to learn and supports and engages our parents and caregivers. A place that invites our teens to gather, learn, and become involved in their community, with after-school and vacation programming just for them. Whether you enjoy lectures, films, author talks, discussions, technology classes, or just a good read, the library welcomes us all.

The Board of Library Trustees urge you to vote Yes on March 27th and April 3rd to authorize the construction of a new building for this essential Wayland institution.

Leave a Reply (full real name required)

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *