Patrons of the soon-to-be-closed Warren Memorial Library are finally accepting Westbrook’s fate as a one-library town.
Since the Warren Memorial Foundation’s board of directors’ announcement in early March that the library would close by May 1, patrons have fought to keep it open and to get answers from a board about its decision.
Their effort included the formation of a group called Friends of the Warren Memorial Library, a rally at Riverbank Park and a workshop with city councilors. However, after the council voted Monday to accept the donation of Warren’s collection, which will be integrated into the city-run Walker Memorial Library, the Warren supporters said they would turn their focus toward helping Walker through the transition.
“We’re pretty much done now,” said Kelly Watters, one of the first Warren patrons to speak out against the library’s closure.
Watters started a group on social networking Web site Facebook to garner support for Warren. She said she plans to delete the Facebook group from the site Friday.
Both Watters and Michael Elwell, who acted as chairman of the Friends of the Warren Library, said they’re glad to see Warren’s collection stay in the city and are planning to volunteer at Walker to help integrate those books into its collection.
“You do have to move on,” said Elwell.
Though Watters said she’s willing to help at Walker, she still hasn’t let go of her anger toward the Warren board for its abrupt decision and failure to explain its reasoning.
Because of the board’s silence, Watters said, she and her friends are refusing to participate in any programs held in the Warren library building, as long as the same members are on the board.
At the time of its announcement, the Warren board said the foundation’s endowment suffered in the fall of the stock market and would be depleted within a few years if the library remained open. Though patrons publicly demanded answers from the board about why it hadn’t held fundraisers in the past and why it had let the endowment drop so low, the board maintained that it was a private foundation that didn’t owe answers to anyone.
At a workshop with city councilors Thursday, scheduled to talk about the library closure, other Warren patrons expressed their frustration, as well.
“There’s no dire need to close the library,” said Andy Broaddus, who called for a suspension of operations instead, so the board and patrons could take the time to find a way to keep it open.
“They’re throwing in the towel, and they’re not giving it a chance,” he said.
“In my mind they’ve broken their trust,” said Helen Black, as she faced the camera taping the televised meeting. “You hear me guys? I know you’re watching.”
Neither city councilors nor the mayor could answer the myriad questions Warren patrons had about the board’s actions now or in the past. Though Council President Brendan Rielly said he invited board members to attend the meeting, none did.
No board members spoke at a meeting Monday, either, when the City Council accepted Warren’s collection of books and DVDs. However, City Solicitor Bill Dale read a letter he received from the Warren board’s attorney, Frederick Finberg, who stated that the foundation’s endowment had dropped to $1.3 million in December.
Some Warren patrons asked the council to delay its acceptance of the collection until a more definitive plan was in place for how Walker would integrate the collection into its own.
“I’m troubled by how quickly this is moving along,” said Wes Douglass, who suggested asking the board for financial assistance with moving the collection.
City Administrator Jerre Bryant said that request had already been made and denied.
Though councilors shared their sympathies with Warren supporters Monday, they also highlighted the opportunity presented to the city in receiving the collection and asked the passionate patrons to bring their energy and enthusiasm to Walker.
“We’re all very disappointed,” said City Councilor Mike Foley. “Hopefully, we can come up with a positive outcome, and I think this is a start.”
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