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Library cuts Saturday hours as staffing gaps persist; BSU to fund tech upgrades
Summary
Facing a 25% cut to full-time staffing this fiscal year, the library temporarily closed Saturdays; director and trustees said closures will end when staffing returns. Separately, Bridgewater State University will finance a technology overhaul of a library meeting room to improve public access at no town capital cost.
Bridgewater ppointed library staff announced a temporary suspension of Saturday hours citing a lost full-time position and a staff maternity leave that together reduced full-time staffing by about 25%.
Jed Phillips, the library director, told the council the choice to close Saturdays was driven by safety and coverage needs: "the library does need to have at least two people staffing it... really, we should be at three plus," he said, and added that Saturday weekday visitor counts justified selecting Saturday as the least disruptive day to suspend service (he reported an average of about 30 visitors per hour on Saturdays and 42 per hour on Fridays). Trustees supported the director's decision, citing budget constraints and recent unfilled vacancies.
Trustees and residents urged alternatives and broader communication. Trustee Danielle Olierry said the board was "completely behind the director in this decision" and explained trustees had anticipated staffing changes for months. Residents and councilors nonetheless raised concerns about access for working families and whether alternate scheduling or short-term hires might preserve weekend service.
Good news: Bridgewater State University has agreed to upgrade the library's primary-floor IT/meeting room with new screens and a fiber connection at no town capital cost; the university will provide 6— hours per week of senior learning classes in exchange. Town staff estimated the upgrades would have cost the town more than $30,000 to implement independently.
What happens next: Phillips said Saturday hours are temporary and will be restored when full-time staffing returns from leave; the trustees and director continue to explore staffing options and potential temporary hires, subject to budget constraints. The library and BSU hope to complete the meeting-room technology overhaul before summer.
