The public libraries of Amherst, Deerfield and Hadley have embarked on planning and design work to apply for state library construction funds available every eight to 10 years. To secure these funds, a town must demonstrate that its library program and proposed building will serve the town for the next 20 years.

The librarians, library trustees and community members in these towns have been envisioning how they might renovate and expand their libraries to meet current and future needs.

South Hadley, Granby and Holyoke participated in the previous grant round and chose to invest in their libraries and residents. All three saw a dramatic increase in use of their expanded libraries.

Amherst’s Jones Library is a regional anchor, being loved and heavily used by residents of the town, neighboring communities and visiting scholars. But its building is plagued by leaks, poor insulation, failing HVAC and a confusing room layout. It desperately needs renovation and expansion to meet current and future needs. Many design meetings, open to the public, have been held by trustees, staff and architects. Opponents of any change cite their familiarly with the library to justify their reasoning why the current space is sufficient, yet they oddly ignore the Jones librarians, who stress its many inadequacies.

One former Jones trustee, who opposes any changes, wrote to staff seeking their views on the proposed renovation and expansion. Five department heads sent heartfelt replies detailing why their departments have insufficient space to help children, teens, ESL students and their tutors, and researchers using special collections, and why there were not enough seats, tables, study rooms and meeting rooms.

These dedicated professionals indicated how they would use more space and how excited they were at the prospect of better serving the community. However, none of their information was presented to Town Meeting. Instead, expansion opponents showed rooms in the Jones where supposedly things might be better organized, and Town Meeting members even suggested that the library split its operations and staff between the East Street School and the Jones!

Most of the outspoken opponents to any changes to the Jones are not willing to wait and see what the architects design. Therefore, at Town Meeting they automatically voted against what the trustees and town officials recommended.

However, by doing so they ignored the knowledgeable community volunteers who worked and continue to work countless hours on architectural issues, space needs, community needs and greenspaces.

And most significantly, the library opponents did not take into account the most needy in our community who depend heavily on the library and its services and programs, including the homeless who spend considerable time in the library reading magazines and newspapers and using computers. Unfortunately, these people are not represented in Town Meeting so have no voice in the decision about the library’s future.

I am a retired college library director who has worked 40 years in libraries, the last 28 as a community college library director. I worked at Harvard and MIT before moving here, where I chose to work in a community college in order to serve a diverse student body.

I am deeply offended by people who suggest that they know better than experienced librarians how to operate a library and to assess critical space needs. The librarians who work at the Jones deserve respect, but instead they have been shown disrespect in the current Amherst Town Meeting and other meetings.

As a trustee of the Jones Library, I have witnessed this disrespect for the hard work, dedication and judgment of the Jones director and the staff. Librarians do not tell lawyers how to prosecute a case or professors how to teach; we respect their expertise, and we ask that Town Meeting members and all Amherst residents respect the expertise of librarians as well.

In Deerfield, residents support their library and trust the process to see what kind of design might develop for their town. I urge all Amherst residents to do the same — have patience, respect the planning and design process and bring an open mind to architectural designs when presented to the community.

Finally, the debate about libraries should center on those in our communities who most need vital and expanded library services and programs. In essence, the debate is not about library trustees, past or present, nor about Town Meeting process. Please consider young families, teens, immigrants and the less advantaged among us when assessing what a renovated and expanded Jones Library might provide and the positive impact it would have on their lives in the next 20 years.

Tamson Ely has been an Amherst resident since 1982. She is a current Jones Library trustee and former director and dean of library services at Springfield Technical Community College.