Billerica Library Board Approves Two-Hour Study-Room Cap in Fairness Trial

BILLERICA — September 8, 2025 — Billerica Library Board approves study-room reservation cut and elects new secretary. The Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its September 8 meeting to trial a reduction of study-room reservation times from four hours to two, effective October, with a one-hour extension available if no other patron is waiting — a change staff said is needed after a pattern of morning patrons claiming all available rooms for the full day. Staff will report data and feedback at the December meeting, at which point trustees may make the change permanent or revert to the prior policy. The board also unanimously approved an updated liability waiver for assistive-device borrowers — including wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches — that had been revised by Head of Circulation Megan Doyle and last formally approved in September 2022. Joanne, whose last name was not audible on the broadcast, was elected secretary to fill a long-vacant seat, and new trustee Alyssa Buttercow was welcomed to the board. The library's annual state reporting showed a 5 percent increase in circulations and an 8 percent increase in visits in FY25, and summer reading drew 835 participants, including a record 284 adults.