Letter: A Call for a Second Referendum on the Jones Library Expansion

On August 22, the Amherst Historical Commission held a hearing about the demolition and expansion of Amherst’s Jones Library. The Massachusetts Historical Commission had sent a letter to the library director in October 2023, stating that the planned demolition and replacements of parts of the existing structure are in violation of several requirements of state and federal law concerning historical buildings. That letter was not made known to the public until July 24, 2024.

Several letters were submitted by the public to the commission regarding the issue and were made available on the town website. Despite town council and library board’s claim that the demolition and expansion is supported by a majority of the town’s residents, thirty of the fifty two letters urged the commission to uphold its role as the defender of the town’s historic structures and block the project from proceeding.

Thirty out of fifty two may not sound like much, but this project is being pushed by Amherst Forward, a group that is funded by moneyed interests of mostly developers, well known for its ability to assemble crowds of supporters. They have typically been able to drown out the voices of anyone opposed to the project, but apparently no longer. Some of those opposed are a grassroots group, with little to no funding and less organizational structure. A number of people have told me that they originally supported the project, but have since changed their minds after learning more about it.

It seems like the demolition and expansion of the Jones Library is losing support. There should be a second referendum to gauge the current level of support.

Lou Conover

Lou Conover is a resident of Amherst.