Wellesley's library branches will close

WELLESLEY -- Despite a lengthy and spirited grass-roots campaign to preserve Wellesley's two branch libraries, the Fells and Hills buildings will close July 1.

It's not clear if the buildings will ever reopen, said Marla Robinson, chairwoman of the town's Board of Library Trustees. Over the next several weeks, the board will decide what to do with the collections and computer equipment housed in the buildings.

The planned closings follow the narrow May 16 defeat of a proposed $75,600 property tax override to temporarily fund the branch libraries until a long-term private endowment for the buildings could be secured. The vote was 4,900 against and 4,497 in favor, with a townwide turnout of 62 percent of registered voters, according to the town's unofficial results.

Mark Flanzer, a branch library advocate, said he felt particularly frustrated because the branches bring so much value to the town's young people and elderly, who have trouble getting to the main library in Wellesley center.

The library override would have cost just $7 per year -- a total of $20 total over five years as the branches became completely reliant on private donors.

''It was so inexpensive and would have given so much to the town," Flanzer said.

ERICA NOONAN