Library trustees back website rebuild, spar over building panel
Library · Meeting of May 13, 2026
Great Barrington library trustees vote to rebuild website, wrestle with fate of Ramsdell building panel. The Board of Library Trustees unanimously directed Library Director Dawn Jardine to draft an RFP for a full site rebuild, estimated near $15,000, rather than patch the current five-year-old site with $1,490-a-year AccessiBe and $1,000-a-year ReciteMe subscriptions. Trustee Ruby Chang reported the Massachusetts Historical Commission rejected the Ramsdell renovation's design, sending architects back to justify the plan locally and at the state level.
With the ad hoc Ramsdell Building Committee's charter expiring June 30, trustees clashed over how to preserve its members' expertise, with Trustee G. Patrick Hollenbeck arguing "this is just status quo. Let's go to the select board and say, please just keep this committee the way it is." Co-Chair Laura Mars welcomed new trustee Donna Jacobs and read a farewell letter from outgoing trustee Sandy Pantorno.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 808 words
Source: the Library meeting of May 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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