SWAMPSCOTT — Despite receiving what appears to be a budget increase for fiscal year 2027, Swampscott Public Library Director Jonathan Nichols told trustees that rising costs and financial uncertainty will leave the library with little room for error in the year ahead.
During a recent Board of Library Trustees meeting, Nichols said the library has officially stopped ordering books for the current fiscal year after nearly exhausting its materials budget, leaving roughly $80 remaining in the account.
“We need to close the books as of June to make sure all the invoices can be closed,” Nichols said. “They’ve officially stopped ordering, so unfortunately if a new book comes out now, it’s going to have to wait until July. That’s just the nature of the beast.”
The discussion came as trustees reviewed the library’s financial outlook for the coming fiscal year. While the approved budget shows an increase, Nichols said the reality is less encouraging.
“On paper, it looks nicer than it is,” he said. “Our materials budget got slashed down to the point where we are going to have to spend every dime to make accreditation.”
Nichols said the library was able to finish the 2026 fiscal year without reducing services or collections, but the future decrease in materials budgeting will put collection staff in a precarious place.
“I love spending every dime the town gives me,” he said. “Because I think we’re being fiscally responsible. So I’m not worried, it just makes me nervous because there’s no breathing room.”
As a result, Nichols said staff may need to be more selective about future purchases for the library’s collection.
“It means that this next fiscal year, and I’ve already kind of been warning my selectors, we’re going to have to be a lot choosier in what they are selecting,” he said.
That could mean prioritizing materials with the highest demand over more specialized purchases.
“That means it can’t just be ‘buy every niche thing you like,’” Nichols said. “It’s going to be, what actually is going to [circulate], because we’ve got to use the funds we have more appropriately.”
It was noted that the budget passed at town meeting does not yet reflect several municipal labor agreements that remain unresolved. Nichols noted that his own contract has been expired for nearly a year, and that he has been in slow negotiations with the town since January 2025.
Trustees also discussed ways to control expenses moving forward. One item under review is a roughly $4,000 annual grounds maintenance service that supplements work performed by town staff around the library property.
“It’s still $4,000 annually, which, when your budget is being cut, is a lot of money,” Nichols said. “It kind of makes the decisions harder because, obviously, the grounds need to be maintained.”
On the bright side, Nichols said that the library does have money saved from state aid received in 2026, which he has been “hoarding” for a “just-in-case” situation.
“We weren’t funding any major projects this year, and I just wanted to take a breath,” he said. “And state aid in 2027 might be problematic, and it might not be as robust.”
The Library Board of Trustees Secretary Debbie Friedlander agreed, and noted that the state has already been using their free cash and their rainy day fund to supplement gaps in federal money to programs like SNAP and healthcare throughout a difficult budget year.
“We might still get some state aid,” Nichols said. “But it might be a lot less.”
Trustees also received some positive financial news. The library was awarded $70,000 for building improvements through Town Meeting’s approved capital plan, with discussions centering on whether the money should be used for flooring replacement, painting, or upgrades connected to the ongoing front entrance renovation.
Nichols said he plans to gather additional estimates before trustees decide how to prioritize the funds, but emphasized that maintaining services remains the library’s top priority as officials prepare for a potentially tighter financial environment.
