Douglas Library Trustees Approve Up to $15,000 Grant Draw for AC Refrigerant Repair

DOUGLAS -- October 28, 2025, Douglas library trustees voted 5-1 to spend up to $15,000 from the LIGMEG grant fund to repair the Simon Fairfield Public Library's air-conditioning refrigerant lines. The repair estimate of $14,838 exceeded the remaining repairs and maintenance budget of $9,521, itself reduced after payments to contractor Brian for completed basement ceiling work, prompting the board to authorize the grant draw while a separate $5,000 personnel-to-operations transfer proceeds through the Fall Town Meeting warrant. One trustee dissented, arguing that only the gap between available repair funds and the estimate, roughly $5,300, should have come from grants. In a wide-ranging director's report, trustees learned that book circulation fell in September following the collapse of national distributor Baker and Taylor; the library has shifted to Ingram and expects a backlog of roughly 438 titles to ship within weeks. The Friends of the Library Oktoberfest book sale netted $1,133.92 for the building fund, with the annual online auction still tallying bids totaling at least $6,042 as of meeting night. The capital campaign stands at $277,489.53.