Leech Library trustees approve $51,000 in cuts, end Hoopla subscription and shift trustee funds to collection

The Leech Library Board of Trustees voted 5–2 on July 9 to adopt a package of budget reductions totaling $51,000 for fiscal year 2027, a move that will end the library’s Hoopla streaming service Feb. 27 and scale back several reference databases, magazine subscriptions and museum-pass offerings.

Acting Director Donna (staff) told trustees the cuts were painful but necessary to meet the town’s funding directive, and she outlined specific service impacts. "This is going to be hard for patrons," Donna said, adding that the timing gives patrons until February to use Hoopla before access ends. She also said the library plans to discontinue some paid databases, including Value Line and AtoZ, as well as reduce a selection of print periodicals and museum-pass purchases.

The board discussed options to mitigate impacts, including encouraging donations for specific subscriptions and using alternate free resources. Trustee Erica urged the board to use the budget season to press the town for fuller funding next year, calling the cuts “devastating” for patrons who rely on library resources. Beth moved the motion to adopt Donna’s reduction plan; the motion passed 5–2 after discussion about which lines to protect.

In a separate but related vote the trustees designated $10,000 from the trustees’ own account to the library’s book budget to ease collection constraints. Beth moved that allocation and it passed on a 5–2 vote. Acting Director Donna said some trustee funds are restricted and some are unrestricted; she estimated $10,000 in unrestricted funds were available to support the collection.

The board also approved a series of line-item transfers to rebalance FY27 spending, including moves into adult, teen and youth programming lines and to electronic books and databases; Donna said those transfers were aimed at preserving program capacity while reallocating where spending could be reduced. Several of those transfers passed unanimously.

Trustees acknowledged that some cuts — notably ending Hoopla and removing a museum pass to the Boston Children’s Museum — are likely to prompt public feedback. Donna said the library will notify patrons well in advance; she noted Concord and other area libraries had faced similar decisions and public response after cutting similar services.

The board’s budget decisions will be reflected in the public budget materials that Donna will distribute to the town and to select committees before the next meeting, when the trustees will revisit procedural items such as tuition-reimbursement forms and staff-position paperwork.

The meeting concluded after trustees approved acceptance of several donations and other routine business. The board is scheduled to meet again Monday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m.