America's Star Libraries: Pelham, Meekins, and Stockbridge Libraries

Congratulations to the Pelham, Meekins, and Stockbridge Libraries - all recognized by Library Journal as STAR LIBRARIES ~ Read more about it in the November 15 issue of Library Journal

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

WMRLS Library Stars!

For complete information, read "America's Star Libraries" by Ray Lyons & Keith Curry Lance
in Library Journal, 2/15/09

The Library Journal, in its February 15, 2009 issue, announced its first national awards based on a new process for rating libraries. And, we’re delighted to let everyone know that the Lenox and Stockbridge Library Associations earned three-star ratings! Congratulations on this recognition to these two fine Berkshire County libraries!

This assessment is based entirely on 4 per capita service output measures: visits, circulation, program attendance and public Internet computer use. The libraries were ranked and compared with peer libraries, but, in a departure from past rankings, the groupings are based on total operating expenditures and not population.

~ John Ramsay, Regional Administrator, Western Massachusetts Regional Library System

Wendell Free Library featured in 12/15/08 Library Journal

Congratulations to the staff and trustees of the Wendell Free Library. Wendell is one of five Massachusetts public libraries cited in Public Library Buildings: 2008 of the article "Library Buildings 2008: Keeping the ''ECO'' in Economy: Public and academic buildings combine for 213 projects in 2008" by Bette-Lee Fox [Library Journal, 12/15/2008].

Going Green Institute - December 4, 2008

From the Library Journal Going Green Institute Website:

Going Green Institute

December 4, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building

Admission is free ~ Register soon as seats are limited

"The fourth Library Journal Design Institute moves to Connecticut for a one-day think tank on green design. We will bring together leading architects, designers, librarians, and vendors to hone in on the challenges and solutions we face in making libraries sustainable. As previous Green Design institutes have shown, there is much more to sustainability than making our libraries green. With every Green Design Institute, we've taken a leap forward in knowledge and understanding, but there is so much more we can learn from these experts and each other. Join us for a day-long series of green-themed presentations, panels, and breakout sessions, and learn the latest developments, options, costs and strategies being adopted.

We'll also reprise one of the most successful features of the day: hands-on breakout sessions with architects. Each librarian attendee will have a chance to have their design challenge be the focus of one of the six architect-led breakout sessions. The design challenges do not have to focus solely on going green, but the breakout session will incorporate green solutions into the design.
Limited to 100 attendees, the seminar is for those considering a new building project or renovation, in the fundraising or pre-bond stage, or in the early building process."