Many Businesses Say Vote YES to the Abbot Public Library

You can’t judge a book—or a library—by its cover. Most Marbleheaders would agree that the Abbot Public Library is one of our best local resources, which is why saving it is so critical. Question 2 requesting a tax override of $8.5 million (an additional $1 million has been privately raised and will be paid through the Abbot Public Library Fund, Inc.) will be on the ballot in the town wide vote on June 22.

Despite its urgent needs for major infrastructure replacements and upgrades, the Abbot Public Library’s value to Marblehead goes far beyond its wealth of books, programs and other assets. The library serves as a community hub and a free gathering space for accessing reliable information, continuing education, professional business development and research. Just ask many Marblehead business owners.

“Abbot Public Library is a free community resource,” said Dr. Jeff Rockwell, owner of Atlantic Veterinary Hospital. “As a business owner, having the ability to utilize some of the conference rooms for staff meetings, continuing education and events that we can literally walk to is hugely important.”

Atlantic Vet is one of many Marblehead businesses displaying the “Abbot Public Library Yes” sign supporting the tax override request needed for the project. The renovation will upgrade and replace aging infrastructure and redesign and reallocate space to make it more efficient, more welcoming, and more able to meet the demands of the 21st century.

George Shube, owner of Shubie’s, supports the project and explained, “The library is a tremendous resource. As a kid I used it, my children have used it, and my granddaughter uses it.”

Several local business owners echoed Shube’s sentiment and have fond memories of bringing their children to the library. Grace Cole, owner of Scribe Paper & Gift, explained, “We used the children’s reading room all the time. We used it for the reading hour and also took books out all the time…[My son is] an excellent reader and writer at this point and I credit that to introducing him to books and periodicals early on.”

The Virginia A. Carten Gallery is an area that Gene Arnould, owner of Arnould Gallery & Framery, especially appreciates.

“It’s a wonderful little gallery,” according to Arnould, “and is terrific for artists to exhibit their work and it’s also a place for public meetings.”

Arnould noted that the annual logo for the Holiday Pops is unveiled there every year, and it is used as a gathering space for artist talks.

The library is also a wonderful resource for lectures and a space where people with common interests can gather and make connections, according to Wayne George, owner of F.L. Woods. George attended a presentation on the history of antique outboard motors.

“What a fantastic event it was,” George said, “and it got so many people with a maritime bent interested.”

Annie Rockwell, owner and Hospital Coordinator at Atlantic Vet, hopes to get back on track with a therapy dog program for reluctant readers at the library, a project which was started and then sidelined by Covid. Rockwell and her leonberger dog are a certified therapy team, and she hopes to get children reading aloud to animals, who don’t judge when they stumble over words or pronunciations.

Meeting rooms are also a great way to utilize the library. Andy Barnett, Facility Manager and Technical Director at the Marblehead Little Theater, conducted many Boy Scout meetings at the library over the years to discuss merit badges and go over service projects.

Scribe owner Cole said her 87-year-old father would enjoy using the newly planned café space as a social gathering area and a place to browse periodicals to which he doesn’t subscribe.

“The more places we can get together, the better off we are as a community,” said Cole.

With all that being said, Abbot is indeed a wonderful source for books.

“Just look at the outdoor book pick up area of the library during Covid,” said Barnett. “There was never a day that the racks were not full of books for pick up.”

Abdul Hanan, co-owner of the Marblehead Community Store, noted that libraries are where people go to educate themselves, something that is very important to offer communities.

“I spent 85% of my college life in the library,” said Sandra Whalen, owner of clothing store Closet Addict, and who wrote her dissertation on detective novels. “You can’t always ‘google’ all of your research.” Whalen plans to use the library to gather insights into the historical styles and fabrics that she features in her shop.

“Marblehead is way more than a town, it’s a community,” said Shube. “The Abbot Library is deserving of our attention and this town deserves a 21st century library.”

The community can show its support for continuing the proud legacy of maintaining and owning the Abbot Public Library together for 144 years by voting Yes on Question 2 on June 22.

Doug Hill also contributed to this article.