The Board of Library Trustees thanks the community

The Board of Library Trustees thanks everyone who attended Town Meeting and considered Article 17 to fund a new public library for Wayland. Many attended that evening, and buses were needed to shuttle people to and from Town Meeting. Seven hundred and sixty residents, 61.3% of attendees, voted to fund construction of a new public library. The article required a 2/3 vote to succeed.

The Trustees were heartened by the support expressed at Town Meeting for library services and the spaces needed to deliver them. This vote, and the favorable votes at Town Meetings in 2015, 2016, and 2017 for articles moving us towards a new library, show that our community strongly values the services a library provides.

This proposed new library project won a very competitive library construction grant of $10,137,980—the third highest grant awarded by the Massachusetts Public Library Commission in this grant cycle. Following our Town Meeting vote, these grant funds will be distributed to other communities in the Commonwealth for their public library projects.

The Trustees thank every Wayland resident who participated in our studies, surveys, discussions and direct conversations with us. Your desire for improved library spaces and services has been consistent through the many years we have been studying this issue, and your input informed our efforts to better meet your needs. We thank Town boards and officials for their assistance during our work, especially the School Committee and Recreation Commission for their collaboration during the development of this new library proposal.

We thank past Trustees and their dedication to their charge and continued advocacy for the library; the Library Planning Committee who labored diligently and thoroughly to investigate and advocate for improved library spaces and services; and the wonderful staff of the Wayland Free Public Library, who provide and strive to anticipate library services that benefit every member of this community.

The Trustees thank you all and will begin a new process to consider how library spaces and services can be improved. The Wayland Free Public Library will, as it has throughout history, keep moving forward.

The Board of Library Trustees
Aida Gennis, Chair, Sally Cartwright, Leah Hart, Mark Hughes, Maureen White, Suzanne Woodruff

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