Beth Walker has been part of the Stonington community for many years. She loves it here and she loves the Library. So, it is no surprise that when she approached the front door on a Friday afternoon in July and found it locked, she was incensed.
But, it is not Beth’s style to just “go away mad.” As someone who has worked in the book business and loved books all her life, Beth didn’t want to see the Library, which she describes as “a cultural hub which serves so many needs of all those in the community,” reduce hours, and so decided to take on the task of raising enough money to reopen it. She approached friends, neighbors, residents and local businesses, most of whom already support the Library throughout the year, to give extra dollars to keep the Library open full-time.
As many know, the original cut in Friday hours was part of a larger effort to reduce Library operating costs in response to budget constraints. As the Board pursues every avenue to provide a permanent path to sustainability, including working with the Board of Finance’s new Task Force to examine future Library funding, we are deeply grateful that this one-time act of generosity provided an immediate stopgap, allowing the Library to restore hours of community access for one year.
It is with heartfelt appreciation that we thank the more than 20 donors who responded so generously when Beth called. The Library is now open with regular hours, six days a week for the community to enjoy.
There really are angels among us.