Legislators Urged to Support Library Funding

Must Reading! This morning's Library Legislative Breakfast at the Chicopee Comprehensive High School Library is now featured in The Republican Newsroom's MASSLIVE News: Real-Time news for Western Massachusetts in an article titled Legislators Urged to Support Library Funding by Holly Angelo.

LIBRARY LEGISLATIVE BREAKFASTS - 2008

West Stockbridge Poetry Slam a BIG HIT!

The West Stockbridge Public Library hosted it's first Poety Slam on March 13th! The emcee, Vanessa Vargas, was wonderful and really had everyone participating. There were three winners who are all eligible to go on to the Regional Competition in May. Hilary Russell, from Sheffield, came in first place, Karel Fisher, from Richmond, was second, and the super brave local youngster, Juri Kiin of West Stockbridge, stole third. Prizes were donated by Hotchkiss Mobiles, Molly Bruce Jacobs, Hoffman Pottery, West Stockbridge Video, and the Bookloft. The West Stockbridge Public Library Friends of the Library and Cultural Council also helped sponsored the event. A big THANKS to everyone that helped pull this together!

~ AJ Cole, West Stockbridge Library Director

READ MORE ABOUT IT ~ Western Massachusetts Poetry Slam Series!

Library Community Must Make Their Voices Heard

WMRLS Legislative Breakfast: Library Community Must Make Their Voices Heard

Visit the MBLC Website for photos of this event

Holding an event at Hampden Public Library would have been impossible three years ago. The library was forced to close its doors for almost a year in 2005 after the town voted down an override that would have provided library funding. On Friday March 7, 2008 Hampden Public Library hosted a Western Massachusetts Regional Library System (WMRLS) Legislative Breakfast that brought out members of Hampden Board of Selectman, Commissioners from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) and several state legislators.

"We need to realize what's at risk when we don't fund libraries," stated Representative Mary Rogeness. "Here in Hampden you know what's at risk, but the state needs to realize that it's not just losing a library; it's losing the town's center; it's losing access; it's losing critical services that everyone needs in Massachusetts." Senator Gale Candaras encouraged the library community to make their voices heard on Beacon Hill, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease; you've got to squeak more, especially during this difficult budget year."

Mary King, WMRLS Regional Librarian, noted that the WMRLS Budget is down 17% since 2002 while MBLC Commissioner Katherine Dibble talked about the increase in demand for library services. MBLC Commissioner Richard Dunbar added "There are many issues competing before the legislature." "But whether the issue is global warming, health care, or how government works libraries are part of it all and we need to make sure that the legislature understands that."

Toni-Golinski-Foisy, Director of West Springfield Public Library and Friends of WMRLS, encouraged the crowd to attend Massachusetts Library Association's Legislative Day on April 2 at the State House, calling attendance at the event "critical in making our voices heard and letting our legislators know how vital libraries are."

Library trustees Beth Burger and Raymond Andree perhaps best captured the feelings of the crowd. "When libraries close, lives are shattered,"said Mr. Andree. "It's dangerous to become complacent" added Ms. Burger. "We need to make our voices heard."

The Board of Library Commissioners (mass.gov/mblc) is the agency of state government with the statutory authority and responsibility to organize, develop, coordinate and improve library services throughout the Commonwealth. The Board advises municipalities and library trustees on the operation and maintenance of public libraries, including construction and renovation. It administers state and federal grant programs for libraries and promotes cooperation among all types of libraries through regional library systems and automated resource sharing. It also works to ensure that all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of their geographic location, social or economic status, age, level of physical or intellectual ability or cultural background, have access to essential new electronic information technologies and significant electronic databases.

~ Celeste Bruno, Communications Specialist, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

Western Massachusetts Poetry Slam Series

This spring, the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System will sponsor the first ever Western Massachusetts Poetry Slam Championship Series. Poets will compete, live and on stage for:

Fame, Glory and Prizes

Please see the libraries listed below for venues and dates. Visit poetry.wmrls.org for details or ask your librarian for more information.

If you’re not a poet, come and witness the amazing talent lurking just below the surface of your town!. Admission is free.

West Stockbridge Public Library - March 13 - 6:30PM
Worthington Library - April 10 - 7PM
Springfield City Library - April 12 - 1 PM
Stockbridge Library Association - April 22 - 6PM
North Adams Public Library - April 22 - 6PM
Wheeler Memorial Library ,Orange - April 26 - 2PM
Milne Library, Williamstown - April 26 - 1PM
Chicopee Public Library - April 30 -Event is cancelled

Monterey Library - May 10 - 7PM
Forbes Library, Northampton – Event is cancelled

Pelham Library - Event is cancelled

Many thanks to Adam Novitt and Vanessa Vargas for coordinating this event.

Berkshire Legislative Breakfast - March 7, 2008

The very first event held in the North Adams Public Library's new meeting room was the Berkshire Legislative Breakfast on March 7, 2008. Staff and trustees from more than 21 public and school libraries were represented at the breakfast urging support for state budget line items 7000-9401 (Regional Systems) and 7000-9506 (networks like C/W MARS and funding for data bases). The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) Legislative Agenda is advocating significant funding in these lines to try to return them to the 2001 funding levels. The Regional Systems' budgets are 17% below where they were in FY2002.

Speakers included Director Robert Maier (MBLC), Regional Administrator John Ramsay, Sally Caldwell (Friends of WMRLS) and Tom Corbett, Assistant Director, C/W MARS. Dignitaries included John Barrett III, Mayor of North Adams, Senator Benjamin Downing, and Representatives Daniel Bosley, Denis Guyer, and Christopher Speranzo. The Master of Ceremonies was Joseph F. Truskowski, Jr., President of the North Adams Board of Trustees and Adams Cooperative Bank. The weather was glorious, the food was great, and the North Adams Public Library is a great place to visit.

~ Jan Resnick, Assistant Regional Administrator, WMRLS

MBLC Wants Western MA events

The new "public face" of Massachusetts libraries http://www.mass.gov/libraries has a "What's New" section devoted to library programs and events - and they're looking for a broader
selection of library programming. WMRLS libraries should Email their event information to Celeste Bruno Celeste.Bruno@state.ma.us at the MBLC to have their programs and events listed. This is a great way to promote new and successful programs outside of our region and show that great libraries thrive throughout our state!

~Celeste Bruno, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners