Three candidates are running to fill two vacancies as the Trustees for the Public Library.
Incumbent Mark Carthy is joined on the ballot by Ed Barker Jr. and Tara Donner.
According to the Trustee handbook, the role of trustees on a public library board in Massachusetts is to govern the library and advocate for it as a “vital link between the community and the library.” The role includes policymaking, strategic planning, hiring, budgeting, community engagement and financial management.
“These are people that have played different roles in support of the library in the past, whether it’s part of the [Friends of the Library or the Belmont Library Foundation],” Kathy Keohane, chair of the Board of Trustees, said of the candidates. “So I’m thrilled that people are interested in continuing their service to the library.”
According to Keohane, the race has been competitive in the past but not so much in recent years. She acknowledged the renewed interest may be related to the construction of the new library on Concord Avenue, which is targeted for a fall 2025 opening.
“I think it’s great,” she said. “We’re always talking about our board and composition and does it reflect the community, so the fact more people are interested, I think it’s terrific.”
The Candidates
Below, listed in alphabetical order, are the three names voters will see on the April 1 ballot.
Ed Barker Jr.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I’m a 10-year Belmont resident and parent of two girls.
In 2022, I actively coordinated canvassing efforts for the successful library campaign. Since then, I have led Belmont Library Foundation efforts to raise $5.2 million, helping to reduce the cost to taxpayers.
I’ve been a board member twice, an executive director, a fundraiser, and a high school teacher. Each role has offered relevant experiences for this position: policy decision-making, community engagement and outreach, and collaboration and inspiration.
Most importantly, as a parent and regular library user, I have seen how a library can enrich the life of a child and engage people across demographics.
What is your motivation for running?
I want to help shape the future of the Belmont Public Library. Our investment in a state-of-the-art facility provides a unique opportunity to promote digital, financial, and civic literacy.
What are the main issues of concern for you with respect to the library?
I’m bullish on the library overall, because we have an excellent staff, high levels of participation, and Belmont is home to deep wells of intellectual and financial capital.
However, I am concerned that the town’s overall fiscal situation will be a major constraint, which will require creative thinking to meet library goals. The library will also need to adapt to technological changes in the way people receive and interact with information.
Mark Carthy
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My wife and I have lived in Belmont for 34 years. I have a science and business background and worked in biotechnology. We brought up our two daughters in Belmont. My initial love of libraries came from visiting the library with my mother in Dublin, Ireland. Those library visits opened a vast new world to me where I went to explore and learn and that continues today at the Belmont library.
What is your motivation for running?
I want to ensure that we are (a) improving services for the most needy in our town including providing internet access and assisting with job searches, (b) maintaining opening hours so that all citizens have access, and (c) delivering services at a reasonable cost. I bring more than 10 years of Trustee experience. This helps me understand the challenges faced by the staff and library director, and evaluate their performance.
My work experience helps me (a) analyze operational performance by the
numbers, and (b) assess the financial impact of Trustee decisions.
What are the main issues of concern for you with respect to the library?
- Getting the new library up and running while continuing services.
- Improving communication of the library services and its value to all Belmont citizens
- Balancing an independent library using town services but without town control
Tara Donner
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am an English teacher, parent, and avid reader. I love all kinds of fiction from middle grade to literary fiction and everything in between. My wife Abby and I have lived in Belmont since 2001, along with our teenagers who attend Belmont Middle and High School.
What is your motivation for running?
As a middle school English teacher for the last 22 years, I know the power literature has to impact people profoundly and shape their understanding of the world. Ensuring that Belmont residents of all ages continue to have access to the breadth and quality of books and other resources the library offers as we prepare to inaugurate our new space is something I can help with.
What are the main issues of concern for you with respect to the library?
As our new library opens, we will have opportunities, operational challenges, and an obligation to fill that building with engaging programming and resources that support the diverse needs and interests of our town. The library has an impressive track record of offering innovative programming on limited means, and as we move forward as a town in a tight budget environment, I bring experience as an 18-year Town Meeting member and former Belmont School Committee member and will fight for the resources needed for a thriving library.