ates ▁“ real ized ▁their ▁long ▁time ▁goal ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁Main ▁Library ▁by ▁champion ing ▁Proposition ▁A , ▁a ▁bond ▁issue ▁that ▁would ▁fund ▁$ 1 0 9 . 5 ▁million ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁new ▁Main ▁Library , ▁which ▁opened ▁its ▁doors ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 ." ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Fri ends ▁advoc ates ▁also ▁" led ▁a ▁$ 1 0 6 ▁million ▁bond ▁measure ▁to ▁build ▁and ▁ref urb ish ▁ 2 4 ▁neighborhood ▁branch ▁libraries ▁city - wide . ▁As ▁with ▁the ▁Main , ▁public ▁b onds ▁will ▁not ▁pay ▁for ▁equipment ▁or ▁furn ish ings ▁inside ▁the ▁branches . ▁To ▁meet ▁this ▁need , ▁Fri ends ▁is ▁charged ▁with ▁raising ▁$ 1 6 ▁million ▁through ▁the ▁Ne igh bor hood ▁Library ▁Camp aign ." ▁ ▁Bridge port ▁Public ▁Library ▁When ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Bridge port , ▁Connecticut ▁looked ▁for ▁ways ▁to ▁address ▁its ▁$ 1 0 ▁million ▁budget ▁def ic it ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Mayor ▁Bill ▁Fin ch ▁suggested ▁cutting ▁the ▁Bridge port ▁Public ▁Library ▁budget ▁by ▁$ 1 . 1 ▁million , ▁arg uing ▁that ▁“ [ l ] ibr aries ▁are ▁not ▁essential ▁services .” ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁B PL ▁budget ▁had ▁come ▁under ▁fire . ▁The ▁library ▁was ▁already ▁suffering ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁a ▁budget ▁er oded ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁with ▁buildings ▁badly ▁in ▁need ▁of ▁repair ▁and ▁disp ir