Great Turnout for Library Legislative Day

On Thursday, April 2, several hundred library supporters flocked in record numbers to the State House in Boston for Library Legislative Day. This event was jointly sponsored by the Massachusetts Library Association and the Massachusetts School Library Association. Western and Central Massachusetts libraries were very well represented, many taking the trouble-free and inexpensive bus chartered by the Friends of WMRLS. The bus was registered to capacity.

The day was scheduled advocate for State funding for libraries of all types, along with the regional library systems the automated networks, the Talking Book Libraries and the Board of Library Commissioners. The message was that libraries are essential, but especially now in these troubled economic times. The halls of the State House were filled with people sporting bright green lapel stickers emblazoned with the words “Libraries – Instruments of Recovery.”

If turnout and enthusiasm are any measure, this Legislative Day was a resounding success. With State funding for so many services jeopardized for FY10, it was critical that a massive effort be made to encourage legislators to support libraries.

Sincerely, John Ramsay, Regional Administrator, WMRLS

Mickey and Minnie Mouse visit the West Springfield Library

Mickey and Minnie Mouse visit the West Springfield Library

Register to Win a Free One Day Admission to MLA

Dear WMRLS Libraries:

A generous donation from the Berkshire Legislative Breakfast Committee has enabled the WMRLS to offer a chance for 3 staff people at member libraries.

Any member library staff person who has never attended the Annual Conference of the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) can submit an online form that could be your ticket to win a free registration to a day’s registration MLA (May 5– 8 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield). You can submit only one chance each, and the deadline is noon on April 17. The drawing of the lucky winners will be done later that day, and you will be notified the next week. The 3 winners can pick a day they’d like to attend. WMRLS will pay your registration; you will pay for your lunch and travel.

REGISTER TO WIN A FREE ONE DAY ADMISSION TO MLA

Good luck!

~ John Ramsay, Regional Administrator, WMRLS

New England Carnegies

I'm pleased to announce that updates and additions have been made to the "New England Carnegies" web site at http://www.necarnegies.com.

The site was launched in 2006 in order to honor the 85 public library buildings that Andrew Carnegie funded in New England. A page for each library contains a brief history, an historic postcard image, and contemporary photos. Visitors can take a virtual tour that leads them across the six states.

Now the 10 academic Carnegie libraries of the region have been added as well. That list includes the libraries at Smith College and Mount Holyoke College.

Also added are the texts of historic newspaper accounts of Andrew and Louise Carnegie's visit to Worcester, Mass., in 1913. Andrew participated in laying the cornerstones for the three branch libraries that day.

The web site is maintained by Corinne H. Smith, cataloging and reference librarian at Anna Maria College, Paxton, Mass.; csmith@annamaria.edu.

~ Corinne H. Smith, cataloging & reference librarian, Mondor-Eagan Library, Anna Maria College, Paxton

WMRLS 26th Annual Summer Reading Program Power Workshop

(Coming Soon - A slide show when all pictures are developed)

72 Librarians representing WMRLS (and neighboring) member libraries participated in yesterday's WMRLS 26th Annual Summer Reading Program Power Workshop. In the coming days, we will be updating our WMRLS READS blog with links to program handouts, a slide show with program highlights, and other exciting summer reading program information.

A BIG THANK YOU to all of our program particiants and to our stellar librarian presenters and exhibitors:

* Mia Cabana, West Springfield Public Library
* Sarah Hodge Wetherbe, Springfield City Library
* Deb Cuthbert, Lenox Library Association
* Janice McArdle, Granby Public Library
* Holli Jayko, Adams Free Library,
* Cindy MacNaught, East Longmeadow Public Library
* Jenny Kinder, East Longmeadow Public Library
* Jenn Couturier, East Longmeadow Public Library
* Kay McCormack, East Longmeadow Public Library
* Celeste Bruno, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
* Steve Swets, Buyer Advertising
* Kay Lyons, Greenfield Public Library
* Martha Richard, Storrs Library, Longmeadow
* Jean Maziarz, Storrs Library, Longmeadow
* Heather Marchetta, Storrs Library, Longmeadow
* Hillary Nolan, Westhampton Public Library
* Lynn Fay, Otis Public Library

Sincerely, Janet Eckert, WMRLS

Buy None, Get Eight Free

Check it out! Great tips on marketing your library and some good ideas you can use almost immediately are included in Alison Circle's blog Bubble Room. In a February posting, she highlighted several British techniques for marketing library value in these tough economic times. My favorite uses the phrase we see every week in the market and goes one better to encourage library use. It's worth a look.

~ N. Janeen Resnick