Reading, MA — Last Friday, RCTV provided a forum for the four candidates for two seats on the Board of Library Trustees (BOLT). The forum, hosted by Alan Foulds, was an hour long and featured questions posed by Catherine Robertson of The Reading Post. To begin the forum, each candidate provided an opening statement.
Monette Verrier has been a resident of Reading since 1996 and is the sole incumbent running for reelection to the BOLT. She was appointed to the board in 2018 and was elected to a full term in 2020. She has been involved in many initiatives in town, including the Parents for Educational Progress and the ballot initiative committee for the library. She stated that she believes that the library is and should continue to be a welcoming place for all residents.
Christian “Cappy” Popp is a member of town meeting with a varied professional background that includes an understanding of the digital culture we all live in. Popp shared that he would be an independent voice on the BOLT and looks forward to supporting the library director in her work. “Change does not happen without collaboration and dialog,” Popp said.
Brian Curry has lived in Reading since 2019. Curry has been an international teacher and currently works as a financial advisor. He would like the library to continue to have a positive impact on the community and increase participation in library events and usage. He questioned why the BOLT meetings are not recorded and why library volunteers are not required to undergo CORI checks.
Michael Terry is a 40-year resident of Reading who believes that the library is a great resource for Reading, but “we can make our library even better.” He stated that while the library is open to all, “One side is emphasized over the other.” He wants more financial transparency, especially in how the Friends of the Reading Library funds are spent. He also believes BOLT meetings should be recorded and that library space should be made more available.
When asked about the most important function of a Library Trustee, Verrier cited the three roles of a member of BOLT: custody of the library, appointing the director, and establishment of library policies. “You hire good people and listen to them,” Verrier commented. Curry suggested that working collaboratively with other trustees and the staff is key, along with listening to the needs of residents. “We have better ideas when we work together,” Curry commented.
Popp cited the three roles as well but focused on the director. “Part of the BOLT mission is to hire the director, who hires the staff,” Popp noted. Terry also noted the BOLT role in staff oversight as well as stating that it is critical that the board reflects the values of Reading.
Robertson next asked how the candidates would respond to challenges of books and events at the library. Curry shared that while it is important to be inclusive, he believes that there are inappropriate books with graphic sexual material and images in the teen section of the library. He passed out copies of the images and shared them with the other candidates challenging them, “If we are not comfortable displaying these images on RCTV, I am wondering how we can display these images in our teen section?” Terry responded first. “The notion that 13- and 14-year-olds have access to this is astonishing,” Terry stated. He shared that while he is not calling for the banning of books, certain printed materials should only be available to those for whom it is appropriate.
“We are not talking about Huckleberry Finn or To Kill a Mockingbird,” Terry argued.
Verrier noted that the board has an outstanding request to review the material in question and that the matter would be discussed at a future meeting. “As a trustee, we are responsible to look at things from all angles,” Verrier explained. “Libraries are open and free, and it is not our place to tell anyone and their family what they can and cannot read, watch, and listen to.”
Popp suggested that too much talk about the materials would lead to even more children seeking access to it. He also noted that American Library Association guidelines state that materials should not be removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. He also questioned whether or not removal of materials would have first amendment implications.
Curry responded, asking if the library contained issues of Playboy or Hustler or books on how to join ISIS. “Our children are seeing these images and are not supervised,” Curry exclaimed. Popp responded that some of Curry’s examples had been deemed pornography, but the materials he handed out and referenced have not been deemed as such.
When questioned about the biggest challenges facing the library in the next three to five years, Popp was quick to respond with challenges of the current political climate. “We need to talk through our differences,” Popp added. “The library should be the center of our community and equally accessible to all.” Verrier agreed with Popp’s assessment. “I’d like to get back to a place where the library is about loving the library.”
Terry suggested that remaining relevant, moving beyond just print materials and into the present, is a challenge to be tackled. “This is not your grandmother’s library,” Terry quipped. Curry added that the challenges of keeping up with technology are a challenge to be faced.
Verrier would like to expand the current series programming the library is offering as well as developing teen programming that is interesting and engaging. Curry suggests more career services for teens and college students as well as more outdoor events. Popp wants to inspire and help the professionals with programming and is looking for more elder and intergenerational offerings and job-hunting services for those in the latter stages of their careers. Terry suggested programs to help teens with “adulting” as well as more on history, especially Native American history.
After closing statements, Foulds reminded viewers that polls would be open in the Hawkes Field House on April 4 from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm and that early voting would be available in Town Hall from March 27-30 during regular Town Hall hours. The entire forum will replay on RCTV until election day and is available on RCTV’s Youtube channel.
