Election 2025: Janice Cohen for Library Trustee

This article is a part of the Burlington Buzz Election 2025 Series, in which we profile each candidate for election. This year's election is on April 5, 2025, and our mission is to make it easy for all registered voters to vote by ensuring the community has access to information about the candidates and issues on the ballot. ELECTION CORNER

Burlington's publicly-funded library has been around since the mid-1800s and is one of the centers of the community. While the library is staffed with professionals who have studied library science and manage the day-to-day operations, the long-term vision, policies, and budget are developed by the Library Trustees in collaboration with the Library Director. They are also responsible for hiring and supervising the Library Director.

As the town prepares for its upcoming election on April 5, uncontested incumbent, Janice Cohen, shared with the Buzz about her experience with local government, her passion for libraries, and her priorities for the next three years.

Cohen moved to Burlington in 1978 and has been actively engaged in public service ever since. A retired special education teacher from Medford, she has spent the last decade as a special education advocate, ensuring children with special needs receive the services they're entitled to in school. While she ran for a seat on the Board of Health in 2021 and lost, Cohen's official entrée into town governance came later that year when she was appointed to the Library Trustees to fill a vacancy. Since then, she has embraced the role wholeheartedly.

“I’ve always been a big reader, and I believe the library is an essential part of our community,” Cohen said, adding that she appreciates the opportunity to help ensure the library's continued success.

As a Library Trustee, Cohen and her colleagues do not oversee programming directly but play a crucial role in approving the budget, managing expenditures, and shaping policies. Recent examples she highlighted were approving funding for new partitions in the Fogelberg Rooms and establishing guidelines on unaccompanied minors in the library.

When asked about her favorite part of the role, Cohen said she enjoys getting to know the staff and witnessing the expansion of library programs, especially with the recent additions to the team. She praised the work of Daniel Barbour, who has brought fresh ideas and energy to the library’s programming.

Looking ahead, Cohen sees maintaining stable funding as the Trustees' top priority over the next three years. “My biggest concern going forward is the independence of the library and the funding,” she said.

Cohen is keenly aware of the broader threats to public funding, noting that cuts at the federal level often trickle down to state and local budgets, putting services like libraries at risk. While no immediate cuts are on the horizon, she believes advocacy at the state level may be necessary to safeguard library funding in the future. “I don't think any department that depends on public funding can breathe easy.”

Beyond her work with the library, Cohen remains engaged with community advocacy as co-chair of the Democratic Town Committee (DTC)

As election day approaches, Cohen has one simple message for voters: show up. “People need to vote," she said. "Elections matter.”

Cohen looks forward to continuing her work as a trustee, ensuring that Burlington’s library remains a thriving resource for residents of all ages.

Janice Cohen, along with Rob Neufeld, is running unopposed to retain her seat as a Library Trustee. Visit our Election Corner for more information about the April 5, 2025, Burlington Town Election.