Library director reports rising digital use, flags HVAC and building repairs at century-old Sheffield library

Dina Caswell, the Sheffield library director, briefed the Select Board on fiscal-year-2025 activity and building needs on Nov. 17, reporting strong public use and a growing mix of digital and physical services.

Caswell said the library logged roughly 30,000 visits and circulated approximately 40,000 physical items in the year just ended, while digital circulation climbed to nearly 10,000 checkouts. The library has about 1,200 cardholders, hosts roughly 5,000 program attendances annually, and offers expanded digital subscriptions and services including Hoopla, Libby and New York Times access for patrons. The "library of things" now includes Wi‑Fi hotspots, specialty wheelchairs and instruments, and a range of community-use items.

Caswell also outlined facility concerns. The library occupies a former Sheffield Center School built in 1908 and converted to a library in 1997. A Structures North assessment identified no immediate emergencies but flagged several infrastructure issues likely to require attention within two to three years. Caswell described recent air‑conditioning failures, installation of mini‑split units on the first and second floors, and a Moran Mechanical inspection that noted potential boiler corrosion. Volunteers Neil Chamberlain and Tom Ingresol will perform more detailed internal and landscape assessments to inform prioritization.

"Your tax dollars fund us here at the library," Caswell said, urging residents to sign up for free cards and to use library resources. She and the trustees said they are balancing service expansions with careful financial planning for capital needs and will bring specific funding or repair proposals to the board as necessary.

The board thanked Caswell for the update. The next administrative steps will be further condition assessment and cost estimates for any required repairs or replacements before seeking funding decisions.