Opinion: The $9 Million Issue We Need to Start Addressing
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There is a monthly ritual at the Jones Library Trustees meeting that goes like this:
- Chair Austin Sarat asks for a report from the Capital Campaign, the group responsible for raising the library’s share of its building project costs.
- Trustee Lee Edwards, usually, says something along the lines of “Everything is awesome” and “We’ve raised about $9 million!”
Sounds impressive. So, what’s the problem? That’s all in what is NOT said: that the library has only reimbursed the town about a third of what it owes ($4.8 of $13.8 million).
Very Slow Progress
Fundraising by the Jones Capital Campaign is at a trickle when what is needed is a flood. Despite having years to raise their share of the cost, the campaign is reporting net monthly receipts averaging in the tens of thousands of dollars, but they need orders of magnitude more.
The trustees assured the Town Council and the town that once ground was broken, donations would come pouring in. The chart below of data from the past two years demonstrates that this has not been the case (data are from meeting packet materials, for example, this one from last month). The blue line represents what the trustees have reported as “total raised”; the red line is the amount that they owe for the building project ($13.8 million). The breaks in the blue line are all the months when no information was presented at trustee meetings. We are just about at the time (July 2026) when, according to the original and only cash flow analysis, the library was to have paid its final reimbursement to the town. The gap between the two lines is showing no signs of closing any time soon, but this is not discussed at trustee meetings.
Promises, Promises
The situation is actually even worse than the chart indicates. The ~$9 million figure that the trustees quote as “funds raised” includes ~$3 million in outstanding pledges – money that someone said they would give, but have not yet done so. This amount has been stuck around that mark for many months. At what point will the trustees acknowledge that those funds are simply not going to materialize, or at least be more honest in their accounting and stop claiming $9 million raised when only $6 million is in hand? Again, none of the trustees are talking about this.
Mind the Gap
The most important number is the one being studiously avoided: how much money does the library still owe the town? The library has only reimbursed the town $4.8 million for the project so far, leaving about $9 million still due. The unpaid pledges are one reason they haven’t paid more, but that doesn’t mean the library can’t do more. The trustees have said they would put up their endowment as collateral for a loan so they could pay the town what they owe, but there has been no discussion of actually doing that even as they fall farther and farther behind in payments.
Less Spin, More Action
We need more honest talk and concrete plans from the library to pay the town back for its share of the project. We also need the Town Council and Town Manager to take more active interest in seeing that payments start flowing in. As it stands now, the town is taking on all the debt for the library project even as the DPW project is trying to get off the ground and the south Amherst fire station is being pushed off indefinitely, again.
Selected Western Mass library projects (approx. last 15 years)
Amherst – Jones Library – 46,100,000
(NEPM reports “the total project cost remains at 46.1 million dollars, according to the town of Amherst,” a figure echoed by other Amherst sources.)
Greenfield – Greenfield Public Library – 19,500,000
(Local and MBLC‑related reporting describe the new library project at roughly 19.5 million dollars; MBLC construction news and regional coverage use this figure when discussing the project and its state grant share.)
Montague – Montague Public Libraries (new main library at 38 Avenue A) – 23,700,000
“Franklin County Now” reported that “the estimated project cost is 23.7 million,” with the MPLCP expected to reimburse about 48% of construction costs.
Springfield – East Forest Park Branch Library – 9,500,000
MBLC construction materials and regional reporting describe the East Forest Park Branch project as a roughly 9.5 million dollar new building, partially funded by an MBLC construction grant.
Springfield – East Springfield Branch Library – 12,400,000
A 2026 article in The Reminder reports that “final funding [was] secured for [the] new 12.4 million dollar East Springfield Branch Library,” noting that new construction was cheaper than renovation/expansion of the 1932 building.
South Hadley – South Hadley Public Library – 10,260,000
MBLC past‑projects materials and contemporaneous municipal reporting describe the new South Hadley Public Library building, opened mid‑2010s, as a bit over 10 million dollars in total project cost, with state funding covering a substantial portion.
Holyoke – Holyoke Public Library – 14,500,000
MBLC case materials and regional news around the completion of Holyoke’s major renovation/addition describe a total project cost in the mid‑teens, commonly cited at about 14.5 million dollars.
Deerfield – Tilton Library – 12,300,000
MBLC construction grant announcements and local coverage place the Tilton Library expansion/new construction project in Deerfield at around 12.3 million dollars total, with MBLC providing a standard construction grant share.
Blandford – Porter Memorial Library – 4,000,000
MBLC planning and design grant announcements for Blandford, combined with project descriptions, refer to a new or substantially renovated library building with an anticipated project budget on the order of 4 million dollars.
Shutesbury – M.N. Spear Memorial Library – 6,000,000
MBLC “Small Library Pilot” and related construction program descriptions discuss the Shutesbury project (part of the pilot program) with an estimated project cost in the ballpark of 6 million dollars, with a higher percentage state share due to small population.
Pittsfield – Berkshire Athenaeum – 9,000,000
MBLC and regional reporting record a substantial renovation and systems upgrade project at the Berkshire Athenaeum with costs in the high‑single‑ to low‑double‑million range, commonly cited near 9 million dollars in all‑in costs for the main recent project.
North Adams – North Adams Public Library – 5,300,000
MBLC construction program narratives and Berkshire press indicate a roughly 5.3 million dollar multiyear effort to address structural, accessibility, and systems issues at the North Adams Public Library.
West Springfield – West Springfield Public Library – 16,800,000
The MBLC “New Libraries of Massachusetts” site gives a total project cost of 16,800,000 dollars for the recent West Springfield Public Library building project, with MBLC grant and square footage also detailed.
Westfield – Westfield Athenaeum – 6,000,000
Past‑projects materials and regional coverage report a significant modernization and systems project at the Westfield Athenaeum in the last 15 years with total costs in the neighborhood of 6 million dollars.
Palmer – Palmer Public Library – 5,000,000
MBLC past‑projects documentation cites a Palmer Public Library construction/renovation project with a total project cost of about 5 million dollars within the MPLCP grant period overlapping the last 15 years.
Monson – Monson Free Library – 3,800,000
MBLC records and local reports indicate a major renovation/expansion project at the Monson Free Library costing in the mid‑single‑million range, commonly around 3.8 million dollars.
Granby – Granby Free Public Library – 7,900,000
The MBLC “New Libraries of Massachusetts” site lists a total project cost of 7,900,000 dollars for the Granby Free Public Library project, completed in the last 15 years.
Hatfield – Hatfield Public Library – 3,600,000
MBLC’s project detail entry for Hatfield shows a total project cost of approximately 3,600,000 dollars for its recent building project.
Williamsburg – Meekins Library – 3,100,000
The same MBLC site records a total cost of about 3,100,000 dollars for Williamsburg’s Meekins Library project.
Worthington – Worthington Library – 3,200,000
MBLC construction program detail indicates a roughly 3,200,000 dollar project for Worthington’s library in the modern MPLCP era.
Southwick – Southwick Public Library – 8,000,000
MBLC “New Libraries” entries show a total project cost of around 8,000,000 dollars for Southwick’s recent library building.