Library seeks two half-time posts and funding to continue digital equity work

Betsy Perry, director of the Charlton Public Library, told the finance committee that the library’s FY27 budget request is mostly level with the prior year but includes two half-time positions and a capital request to improve space for teens.

Perry said the library is asking for a 19-hours-per-week teen services assistant (no benefits) to take pressure off the head of youth services and to design dedicated teen programming and a teen space. The second half-time request is a digital navigator tied to a digital equity grant the town received; Perry described an $80,000-range grant that funded part-time tech help, one-on-one appointments and classes that have shown “strong community demand.” The grant ends this summer and the library requested a continuing part-time position if the services are to remain.

Perry said circulation and program metrics are rising: physical items checked out have increased substantially year over year and the library logged a month with more than 10,000 physical items checked out — levels the library said it had not seen since 2019. Perry said the library tracks door counts and program attendance and can provide data to justify particular programs.

On capital, the library requested $40,000 to replace the main-floor carpet (about 20 years old), which the director said is showing wear and poses a tripping hazard; the carpet replacement would be paired with reconfiguring the space to carve out a dedicated teen area.

Committee members asked for clarification on salary totals and line-item math; Perry said two half-time positions represent a downscope from a prior full-time request and offered to follow up with detailed budget pages.

The committee did not vote on library items that night; members thanked Perry and asked staff to return any requested clarifications.