Three candidates run for two Library Board of Trustees seats in Mattapoisett

MATTAPOISETT — One incumbent and two newcomers have joined the race for two open seats on the Library Board of Trustees.  

William Coquilette is running for reelection as his first term comes to an end, with Curtis Mendes and Jan Brodie also eying positions on the board.

Curtis Mendes has been on the Mattapoisett Democratic Town Committee for four years, which he said prompted him to get more involved in town government. He said serving on the Library  Board of Trustees felt like a good place to start. 

He has sat on several committees during his career, and would bring a business background to the role. 

If elected, he said his focus would be on supporting the staff and ensuring the library has proper funding. He said funding issues are especially important to him as federal cuts to aid make it more important to find grants to support the library’s services.

“The things that you will find in the library are truth, facts, and you also find diversity, inclusion and equity in libraries,” Mendes said. “That's the essence of libraries, and that's where people learn. That's where youth learn through reading, and that's why I believe libraries are so important.”

Jan Brodie has lived in Mattapoisett for over 40 years, and said one of the first things she did when she moved to town was get a library card. Brodie’s motivation for running is “a love of the library and a love of its potential.”

As Brodie’s career in real estate and development winds down, she said she’s looking for a way to get more involved with the library. She’s an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals and is part of the Mattapoisett Tree Committee, and has worked on several boards professionally as well. 

She said beyond her love for books and the traditional services the library offers, she appreciates the library’s community focus. 

“I love the way the library has repositioned itself to be so community minded, and offers so many things — on video, on Audible books, the library of things, the book groups,” Brodie said.

Brodie’s priorities as a trustee would be staying on-budget while providing services to patrons, supporting the head librarian and promoting the library within the community.

During his first term as a trustee, William Coquilette helped find a new library director and said he was proud of the search process and candidate the group chose.

If reelected, he said he wants to focus on using his business background to develop a strategic plan for the library’s future and 

“I felt like I'm not finished the stuff I want to do with the library,” Coquilette said. “It's a very important institution for me, so I want to continue for another term.”

He’s been a part-time resident in Mattapoisett since 2010 and full-time since 2018, and said the library is a “very important amenity for the town.”

Coquilette sees the library as not only a community center but as a point of connection to the larger world. He also said he wants to continue supporting the “very high-quality” staff and continue offering helpful resources for patrons.