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Incumbent Chris Sulkit urges support for staff and warns budget cuts could cost Brookline libraries state aid
Summary
Chris Sulkit, a two‑term incumbent and vice chair of the library board, told Brookline Interactive Group Television she wants to help onboard the new director and cautioned that reducing town funding could reduce state aid and shared interlibrary services; she cited an "about $4.7 million" library budget and an example that a $30,000 cut could put as much as $140,000 in state aid at risk.
Chris Sulkit, an incumbent running for re‑election to Brookline’s library trustee board and the board’s current vice chair, told viewers she is seeking another term to help onboard the library’s new director and guide a forthcoming strategic plan.
Sulkit described libraries as "small but mighty" community resources that now offer a wide range of services beyond books, including lending devices and running programs for all ages. She said a recent period of staff turnover has ended with the hiring of the new director (referred to in the interview as Jill), and that trustees should support a strong onboarding and staff morale.
On the town budget, Sulkit said the library’s proposed fiscal 27 budget is "about $4.7 million" and warned that cuts to the town’s contribution could have cascading effects. "If we cut our library budget by just $30,000 for the year, we could potentially lose up to $140,000 worth more of state aid that supports our library and the ability for us to borrow books from other libraries," she said on the broadcast. The program did not include an outside source verifying that example; it was presented as Sulkit’s explanation of the interdependence between town funding and state aid for library services.
Sulkit also described committee work she performs for the board — executive committee duties, serving on a screening committee for the director search, and chairing a staff appreciation committee — and emphasized workforce support as central to maintaining services amid fiscal pressure.
She framed libraries as part of public‑health preparedness, saying they act as a safety net when communities face economic strain, and encouraged residents to use local programs and thank library staff and trustees. The interview aired as part of a candidate series ahead of the May 5 election.
