Library director says Gardner library will meet state open-hours requirement for first time since 2009, seeks staff and grant support

Marita Clements, director of the Gardner Public Library, told the city council on Feb. 6 that the library is on track to meet state certification requirements for fiscal year 2026 and that it will meet the open‑hours requirement in full for the first time since 2009. She said the library intends to keep Saturday hours throughout 2026 and plans to request budget support to maintain collection spending at approximately 15% of the operating budget.

Clements outlined grant activity aimed at expanding access and updating facilities. She said she applied to the Massachusetts Broadband Initiative’s connected-and-online grant; if awarded and finalized, the grant would provide about 30 devices including desktops, laptops and tablets, some configured for patrons with disabilities. She described an informal award notification from the Beaman Foundation for $3,000 to add children’s read‑along audiobooks and said a Fidelity Bank Community Giving request for $12,000 would fund new children’s‑room furniture. Clements also said the Knowlton Foundation is providing $4,000 for large-print and audiobooks and that the Ryan Patrick Jones Heart of a Hero Foundation provided $500 for children’s programming.

Clements described facility stewardship: the library building is privately owned by the Levi Haywood Memorial Library Association, which covers most capital expenses while the city covers most operating costs. An energy assessment is pending and staff are considering lighting retrofits and alternative technologies such as solar panels or heat pumps to reduce energy and operating costs. She also said the library will pursue a website upgrade (the current site is more than a decade old) and noted the recent hire of a dedicated young-adult staff member; Clements plans to request increasing that position from 18 to 25 hours per week to sustain growth in young‑adult programming.