Noel Buck, director of the Danvers public library, told the Finance Committee the library’s FY26 request is modest and driven primarily by personnel obligations and rising consortium fees while the library continues to show growing circulation and community programs.

"We don't ask for much, but we do a lot with what we have," Noel Buck said, summarizing the library’s approach to programming and services. Buck told the committee circulation has continued to climb since the pandemic and that children’s borrowing is up roughly 63% compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Buck described program priorities that include expanded language collections, new Spanish-language playgroups for children, outreach to assisted-living facilities and motels, expanded community art shows, and grants to improve access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Buck also noted the library uses state aid and trust-fund money to support most programming.

The library director said staffing remains adequate for core operations but that the archives and community-outreach work would benefit from additional hours; she said the ICAVA archives operation is currently open roughly three days a week as staff availability allows. Buck confirmed temporary and part-time lines in the library budget are used for seasonal and non–full-time duties and that a single part-time bookkeeper position is budgeted separately from general temporary wages.

Finance Committee action and context

A motion to move the library budget was made and seconded; the Finance Committee chair called for a voice vote and members responded "Aye." The meeting minutes record the motion as approved.

Speakers quoted in this article are Noel Buck (Library Director) and Rodney (Interim Town Manager), who participated in the overview preceding the library presentation.