SUNDERLAND — In the wake of increasing demand and costs, librarians across western Massachusetts are calling for an additional $1 million in public library aid in the state’s fiscal year 2027 budget.
In an overflowing room at the Sunderland Public Library on Friday, librarians, library supporters and state legislators gathered for the Upper Pioneer Valley Legislative Breakfast, where they said that during times of economic hardship and political divide, libraries could not be more important, and they need help from legislators to ensure they are adequately funded and have the support to be flexible in serving community needs.
“When times are tough, libraries always show up for our communities, and the tougher times get, the harder libraries work,” Sunderland Public Library Director Katherine Umstot said. “During times of economic hardship, library usage increases. A 2022 study by Michael Mave showed that circulation increases an average of 13.3% in public libraries during economic hardship, and visitors to libraries increase by an average of 26.8%.
“Times are hard right now, and quite honestly, I’ve had a bit of a hard time finding reasons to be positive these days, but when I’m struggling, I always turn to the library,” Umstot continued. “I feel like libraries are the only spaces you can just exist, no matter who you are. Libraries have no expectations of money being spent or labor being provided. Libraries are where you are encouraged to grow, connect, explore and to relax. But in order to do that, we need flexibility to try new things and offer expansive services. None of this is possible without funding.”
Funding
Library advocates said the state budget includes seven lines that are specific to libraries, which in fiscal year 2026 totaled $52.4 million. For FY27, library advocates are asking for an additional $1.9 million, or 3.76%, including $1 million for the State Aid to Public Libraries line item, and the Massachusetts Center for the Book — a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring an interest in reading, honoring the state’s literary culture, fostering literacy, and promoting unrestricted access to books and libraries — is asking for $432,600, a $12,000 increase from FY26. Other line items include state aid to regional libraries, library technology and resource sharing, and Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners support and outreach services.
Nina Dodge of the Massachusetts Center for the Book said libraries cannot continue to do more with less, so if libraries are to combat decreasing literacy rates and increasing screen time, they need more money. She added that with municipalities facing fiscal pressure, the increased funding needs to come from the state budget.
“We at the Center for the Book know that it has been a difficult year for libraries,” she said. “Municipal budgets are under real pressure, federal cuts have trickled down to the local level and many of you are fighting to maintain the services your communities rely on.”
Dodge said it would take everyone working together to advocate for these funds to ensure the increases are reflected in the state budget.
“We’re proud of our ability to stretch every dollar, but we have our limits. Costs are rising across the board and we can’t continue to more with less,” Dodge said. “Together we can ensure that libraries remain strong, that communities remain connected and that books continue to change lives across Massachusetts.”
Molly Moss, a member of the Central and Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing (C/W MARS) executive committee and Forbes Library’s assistant director, said that over the past few years the library consortium has welcomed a few new members, including Leyden, Worthington and Peru, and in 2025, libraries across the system saw a total of 13 million items checked out. Without state funding, she said access to the consortium and its wide collection would be unaffordable for many of its small library members.
“Many of our libraries use line 7000-9501 state aid to help pay for their membership in C/W MARS. State funding is critical for our members to be able to weather the next few years and remain open, maintain membership in C/W MARS and continue serving their communities,” Moss said.
State Rep. Aaron Saunders, D-Belchertown, emphasized that teamwork in advocacy is incredibly important, as while he and many of his colleagues support the libraries, there are other causes that are also important and need their attention.
“Keep up the work, because there are lot of people and a lot of good causes that are doing the exact same thing,” Saunders said,” and we need to hear from you often.”
He added that he knows libraries play an important role in democracy and keeping people informed.
“As the son-in-law of a retired school librarian and the son of a library trustee at the Hubbard [Memorial] Library in Ludlow, library advocacy is never far away from the Saunders household. … The need that has been talked about today cannot be understated,” Saunders said. “The roles that libraries play are so essential to our democracy. It’s so much more that books, and books are a lot.”
“You are doing this incredible, painstaking work, linking arms for every cause that is important to care about, from literacy, to cultural expression, to democracy,” said state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton. “A one-size-fits-all policy or budget doesn’t fit western Mass. You fit western Mass, you fit what we need and you are stronger together.”
Legislation
Joe Rodio, director of the South Hadley Public Library and president of the Western Massachusetts Library Advocates, said “An Act Regarding Free Expression” (S.2726), which was passed by the Senate in November and is now being reviewed by the House of Representatives, is a much-needed bill that would support libraries in keeping information and literature accessible to all.
“The need to protect a free press, free speech, free expression and the ability for informed citizens to access information has never been greater and never more under threat in our country,” Rodio said. “If Connecticut and Rhode Island can pass legislation protecting the freedom to read, so can Massachusetts.”
Comerford said the advocacy of western Massachusetts librarians shaped the bill.
“You are among the major reasons that we were able to do that. … Because of you, I filed an amendment that says you can’t have a conversation about one picture in a book; you have to have a conversation about the whole book,” Comerford said. “So you can’t have politically motivated cherry-picking of a word or book chapter or cover.”
Shutesbury resident Karen Traub, who serves on the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, added that “An Act Addressing Challenges Facing Public Libraries and Digital Resource Collections” (S.2710) would help libraries negotiate for fair prices for electronic materials.
“It’s ridiculous. It’s outrageous that libraries have to pay more for books than we as consumers do, and not only do the libraries pay more, but the contracts, some of them expire and the books virtually disappear,” Traub said. “Can you imagine if books disappeared off the shelves?”
The bill was passed by the state Senate and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means for review.
Traub is urging librarians and library advocates to contact their legislators to support the bills and funding for libraries. She said libraries should not be a playing piece in a political game, but rather institutions of knowledge that are open to and supported by all.
“Libraries are not luxuries. They shouldn’t be used as partisan pawns. Our libraries are public institutions serving the common good,” Traub said. “They’re a cornerstone of our democracy and a bellwether of how our democracy is doing.”