Historical Commission protests library’s removal of local history collection

The Historical Commission moved on Aug. 17 to formally protest the library’s removal of the local history collection. The commission voted to send a letter of concern to Library Director Chris Lundquist and the trustees after the custom wooden cabinet holding Lydia Maria Child’s volumes, high school yearbooks and vertical files was removed from the first-floor reference area, with most contents relocated to a locked second-floor storage cage. Interim Chair Richard Conard visited the library July 29 and was told the change was prompted by concerns about wood off-gassing. Member Katherine Gardner-Westcott said the cabinet had been sealed against off-gassing when originally purchased and estimated researchers would lose 30 to 45 minutes of a two-hour visit to staff retrieval times. “History is a browsing collection,” Gardner-Westcott said. Resident Sandy Foy cited a library strategic plan survey showing 55% of respondents wanted more local history programming. The commission also approved three house plaques.