Todd ready to take baton at library
Published on March 19th, 2003
STONEHAM, MA - The library?s newest director should be celebrating her recent promotion. But faced with some of the most debilitating budget shortfalls since the library came into existence, Mary Todd has little time to enjoy the benefits of her new job.
And although Todd is grateful and excited for her recent promotion, the burden of impending layoffs follows her everywhere.
"Well, it?s been a great challenge," said Todd of her new job responsibilities. "I have a terrible time leaving the job here?I feel a tremendous responsibility for the workers. It follows me everywhere. I find myself walking down the aisle of the grocery store crunching budget numbers," she added.
Slated to cut over $108,000 from its budget for this coming fiscal year, the library will layoff fourteen workers and leave the assistant library director position unfilled. Revealing the scope of these drastic cuts at last Monday?s library board of trustees meeting, shocked board members responded to Todd?s report with utter disbelief.
"How much do we get back from this ridiculous amount," said trustee member Susan Fixman incredulously. "Realistically, they?re not going to cut us 100-whatever thousand dollars. That?s absurd," she said.
Todd responded by citing the ramifications of the cuts, stating that the library will lose its state certification and an additional estimated $25,000 in state aid. Working with a skeleton staff, the library would also close two days a week, most likely on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Listing state certification as the library?s number one priority, Todd expressed her belief that the library could function with another $52,000 from the town.
"I want certification and to be $53,000 away from that is unacceptable. I think that $52,000 is basically what we?re short. I think realistically that?s what we?re looking for," Todd said.
According to the library director, if the library lost its certification, Stoneham library cards would no longer be honored at other city and town libraries. In addition, the town could no longer apply for special federal grants that in the past provided money to obtain computer equipment and software.
Although the state?s board of library commissioners might consider loosening some of the state certification requirements, Todd still doesn?t believe the board will excuse Stoneham because the library received an unproportional percentage of cuts compared to other town department reductions.
Sitting at a cluttered desk in an office still scattered with unpacked boxes hours before last Monday?s meeting, Todd admitted that outgoing library director Hugh Williams warned her about the impending cuts.
"He basically warned me that things were going to get bad. I don?t think he or I expected it to be this bad. I don?t even think he could prepare us for this. Nobody thought it was going to get this devastating," said Todd.
According to Todd, one of the consequences Williams did not predict was the elimination of the assistant library director. Formerly the assistant director, Todd now assumes the responsibility of both roles.
Responsible for updating computer software, training employees, updating the library website, and teaching computer classes as assistant director, Todd finds the dual-working obligations extremely challenging. Speaking about the town?s decision to cut the position, the library director claimed she felt town officials took advantage of Williams? departure.
"Maybe I was just taking it personally but I felt like the library was being punished because the director moved out and it was an easy place to cut $45,000," said Todd.
Concerned with Todd?s overburdened schedule and also with the fact that leaving the position unfilled further jeopardizes the library?s chance of receiving state aid, Williams advised trustee members to fill the position anyway.
"You know Hugh," said Todd to the understanding nods of the trustees. "He said in very strong words that his advice was to go after the position. In the best interest of the library, he advised us to bite the bullet and cut the underside," Todd recalled, adding that she has already received fifteen resumes from potential candidates.
Acknowledging that the position should probably be filled, trustee member Jane Francis wondered what further cuts in personnel the library could manage with only thirteen full and part-time workers remaining.
"I can see his point but how many people would you have to cut to fill the assistant?s role" said Francis.
Pushing a brightly gift-wrapped package across the table after last night?s meeting, trustee member Susan Fixman congratulated Todd for her promotion.
"We had no idea this was going to happen," joked Fixman as she referred to the ill timing of the budget cuts. "But here?s a good luck present. Good luck with your new job."
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