Arlington residents press board to restore library funding, warn of impacts to digital collections and programs

Dozens of Arlington residents told the Arlington County Board on Tuesday evening that proposed cuts to the Arlington Public Library’s collections and staffing would harm residents who rely on the system’s digital resources, programs and safe public spaces.

Speakers said the library serves a wide range of needs — from job searches and digital databases to story times, maker spaces and programs for older adults — and argued that reducing the collections budget or eliminating positions would increase wait times for e‑books and audiovisual materials and shrink community programming.

Claire Christian, president of the Friends of the Arlington Library, said the library “held over 5,000 programs” last year and that electronic and print circulation “is in the millions.” She relayed a story from a first‑generation immigrant who told her that her 6½‑year‑old daughter thinks of the library as “a place where she belongs,” and warned that cuts would lengthen waits for popular books.

Multiple speakers urged permanent funding for OverDrive (the library’s e‑collection platform). Laura Tinter, who said she borrows ebooks and eaudiobooks through Libby, noted that e‑circulation rose from about one million in FY2023 to 1.5 million in FY2024 and said that “growing this eCollection is driving people back to the library.” Several speakers also asked the board to preserve access to Kanopy, the streaming service the library uses for foreign and documentary films.

Program leaders and volunteers described the library as a venue for social services and community resilience. Stephanie Dillamoth, who runs a weekly mindfulness class at the Courthouse Library, described attendees who use the library as a “safe space” and said proposed cuts “threaten programs like ours, which nimbly offer crucial support to vulnerable and diverse populations.” Peggy Thurber, a retired Coast Guard officer and former volunteer, recounted personal family history and argued that libraries are vital bulwarks against censorship and social isolation.

Speakers from across the county — teachers, lifelong residents, recent arrivals and members of the Friends group — asked the board to restore or increase funding for the library, saying it is a relatively small line item in the county budget that “punches above its weight.”

The public hearing is part of the FY2026 budget process; the County Manager’s proposed budget includes reductions that would affect the library, and the board will hold a separate public hearing on proposed tax rates and fees later this week. The board will take final action at its April 9 meeting.

Public comments at the hearing are not board decisions; the County Board must consider the budget proposals and any amendments before adoption.