Council insists Goss Reading Room remain open

City councilors on Monday night rejected out of hand a proposal by the Library Trustees to close the Goss Reading Room in Lakeport at a budget presentation attended by a dozen members of the Lakeport Community Association. Instead, the trustees and councilors agreed to split the cost of operating the facility evenly between the library and city budgets.

Bob Selig, chairman of the board of trustees, said yesterday that he believed that the board could allocate the total appropriation for the library at their discretion and could choose to close the reading room despite the wishes of the council. But, he stressed that the council determines the total appropriation. "Things work better in a community when there is a partnership," he explained diplomatically, "when people are listening to each and compromising. This is a compromise situation."

Selig told the councilors that the trustees' proposal was in response to the request of City Manager Eileen Cabanel to trim $20,000 from the proposed library budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. He explained that the annual cost of operating, stocking and staffing the reading room, which is open from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, is approximately $20,000, of which a more than a third is salary for a part-time employee, whose hours would be reduced if it closed.

"The Goss Reading Room is just not used very much," Selig remarked, noting that in the last nine months visits have numbered 624, compared to 95,640 at the main library. During the same period, circulation in Lakeport was 1,277, compared to 102,010 downtown.

"It just doesn't appear to be used," said Selig, who added that the reading room was recently equipped with new computers and stocked with "every latest best seller."

Councilor Armand Bolduc (Ward 6) was quick to insist that that the reading room must be kept open and told Selig, "You'll have to cut your budget another $20,000" to do it. He said that the dearth of visitors reflected the failure of the library to use it as a venue for programs and the lack of adequate convenient parking spaces. Selig said that the library has an easement for three parking spaces and Susan Laramie, the librarian at the reading room for the past 28 years, parks on Franklin Street to keep the spaces open to patrons.

"I don't think anybody wants to see it closed," said Mayor Mike Seymour, "but it is hemorrhaging money."

"I don't think we can look at this as a business proposition," countered councilor Bob Hamel (Ward 5). Stressing the historical significance of the building and its cultural value to the community, he said that "we should try to do everything we can to keep it open."

Likewise, councilor Greg Knytych (Ward 1) said "I don't like to see the building closed and would like to see what can be done to keep it open."

Selig told the council that "if you order us to keep it open, I would hope the money would come with your decision. If you ask us to $20,000 from the main library," he asked, "aren't you penalizing everyone to benefit a few?"

"We pay taxes to fund your budget," Bolduc shot back. Referring to the difficult economic times, he told Selig, "You make it work, just like we make it work."

"$20,000 isn't a lot of money," offered councilor Brenda Baer (Ward 4), who recalled that a team of planner from the United States Environmental Protection Agency recommended the city foster development of its three "villages" — downtown, Lakeport and The Weirs.

City Manager Eileen Cabanel suggested that the library trustees and the city council share the cost of keeping the reading room by each finding $10,000 to fund it.

Councilor Matt Lahey (Ward 2) agreed, telling his colleagues, "If it means so much to keep it open, then fund it to keep it open."

At the same time, Selig challenged residents of Lakeport to make greater use of the facility.

Dorothy Duffy said that when the library trustees discussed closing the reading room last July she volunteered to explore starting a "Friends of the Goss Reading Room" to promote use of the library and address the parking issue.

The reading room opened in 1907, taking its name from Dr. Ossian Wilbur Goss, whose will provided $7,262 for "furnishing, equipping and maintaining in the homestead house about to be erected by me in Lakeport, suitable Reading Parlors for the use and enjoyment of the general public of Lakeport." The library was dedicated in 1908 and two years later became part of the Laconia Public Library.

The Goss Reading Room was added to the National Register of Historic Buildings in 1986. The Lakeport Community Association helped host a centennial celebration for the Reading Room in May 2008.