MARBLEHEAD — Marblehead officials are weighing the possible closure of the Abbot Public Library and other municipal services as the Town confronts a projected $7.7 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2027, Town leaders said during a recent Select Board budget review.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer presented two potential approaches to balancing the budget. One proposal relies almost entirely on eliminating municipal positions and services, while the other combines new revenue sources with smaller spending reductions.
Departments identified as potential targets for elimination include Community Development and Planning, the Cemetery Department, much of the Health Department, the Council on Aging, Recreation and Parks, and the Abbot Public Library.
“Scenario A assumes no significant changes in our current revenue trends,” Kezer said. “We needed to reduce spending by $7.7 million to match projected revenues.”
Under Scenario A, 23 of the 56 eliminated positions would come from the library.
A second budget option presented by Kezer would attempt to preserve most Town services by generating additional revenue and implementing smaller cuts.
Under Scenario B, the library would lose 9.5 positions. Several positions would be reduced to part-time, including two senior assistants, a technical administrator, a part-time laborer, three temporary assistants, and four additional part-time employees.
Although this option would not immediately close the library, officials said the facility could be forced to shut its doors by Dec. 1. Library officials said this would likely occur if full-time librarians whose hours are reduced leave to find other jobs.
“People earning half of their salary will likely leave,” Gary Amberik, chair of the Library Board of Trustees, said during the meeting.
In an interview, Amberik said that closing the library “would be devastating, not only to the staff who would lose their jobs, but for all Marblehead residents who utilize and rely on the library’s programs and services. We are deeply concerned by the prospect of closure and are committed to avoiding that outcome.”
He added that residents he has spoken to are “incredibly upset that after years of advocacy, Marblehead might be left without a library. For many, Abbot Public Library isn’t just a line item in a budget; it is the town’s ‘living room’ and a vital resource for residents of all ages.”
Amberik said, “Our hope is that the Town of Marblehead gives us the opportunity to create a viable contingency plan, one where the library is properly funded in alignment with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) guidelines for certification.”
The MBLC supplies State Aid to 347 of the 350 municipalities with libraries and provides libraries access to “federal grant money for local needs,” which officials say is a lifeline for many libraries.
Libraries apply annually for State Aid. Once granted, the library becomes certified and can use the funds in any way that supports library operations and services.
Under Scenario B, Abbot Public Library would not qualify for the Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR) because of the proposed staffing reductions.
MAR is the required municipal appropriation to a library and is calculated as the average of the previous three years’ appropriations plus 2.5%.
Losing MAR certification would also mean the library would lose access to the North of Boston Library Exchange, which allows Marblehead residents to borrow not only books but many other items from a network of libraries across Massachusetts.
“Marblehead would become an ‘information island,’ cut off from the regional resources our taxpayers have helped build for decades,” Amberik said.
Approximately 98% of public libraries in Massachusetts participate in this program. Of the 347 libraries that applied, 339 met all requirements, while eight received accommodations for not meeting full hours or materials requirements.
Sixteen libraries applied for waivers of the MAR requirement. Seven later received additional funding and withdrew their applications, resulting in nine waivers granted in 2026.
Amberik said, “Maintaining our state certification isn’t just a ‘nice to have’; it is what allows our residents to access the Commonwealth’s vast inter-library loan network and ensures we remain eligible for state funding.”
The possible closure of Abbot Public Library, which has served Marbleheaders since 1877, has raised concerns among residents who say the facility plays a key role in the community.
Library data from fiscal year 2025 shows the facility recorded 244,961 total annual interactions, including 132,979 physical items borrowed such as books, DVDs, CDs, and magazines, and 67,832 digital books and audiobooks accessed.
Library officials estimate that services provided an economic value of approximately $5.2 million to residents in FY25 through free access to materials, programs, and other resources.
Physical books accounted for 120,844 uses, representing an estimated $2.84 million in taxpayer value, according to library data. Digital books and audiobooks generated about $1.02 million in value.
Additional services included 28,059 interlibrary loans, 8,889 participants in programs and workshops, 2,826 public meeting room reservations, and 1,134 museum pass uses.
The library also hosted 2,826 free meetings for local nonprofits and community groups in FY25.
In addition, the library provides free internet access, literacy programs for children, and meeting space for nonprofit organizations, and maintains climate-controlled archives documenting Marblehead’s history. Children’s literacy programs alone served more than 5,500 children.
A $10 million renovation of Abbot Public Library was approved in July 2022. Construction began Jan. 25, 2023, and was completed in 2024.
In 2018, research was conducted on the building to determine what needed to be replaced or repaired, and discussions about a renovation project intensified during the library’s 140th anniversary celebration.
The project was halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Board of Trustees eventually approved the strategic plan in January 2023.
The building was last renovated in 1989 and required significant infrastructure upgrades to remain safe and accessible.
Amberik said, “It would be fiscally irresponsible to let the library close before that investment is even paid off. We need to provide the operational support necessary to protect our investment and keep our doors open.”
He emphasized, “We cannot do this alone. Your voice and your support have never been more important. Together, we can ensure that Abbot Public Library remains a permanent, thriving fixture of Marblehead life.”
He urged community members to reach out to the Select Board and Finance Committee and “let them know that a fully funded, certified library is a non-negotiable priority for the residents of this town.”
He also encouraged residents to share how the library has positively affected their lives.
“We want to hear how the library impacts your life. Please write to us at [email protected] to share what you love about the Abbot Public Library. These testimonials are powerful tools in our advocacy for the library’s future,” he said.
He added, “If it is determined that there is no path to restore the library’s essential funding other than a general override, I ask you to consider the options carefully. A vote to restore funding is a vote to protect our $10M investment and ensure that Marblehead remains a community that prizes education, culture, and civic connection for every generation.”
