On Becoming A Raging Library Activist

On September 12, Maureen Ambrosino, Central Massachusetts Regional Libary System's Youth Services Consultant, requested that we change the location of our monthly Regional Youth Services Meeting to Boston as she had volunteered to testify at the State House to support school librarians for the Massachusetts School Library Association. After our regional meeting concluded, we accompanied Maureen to the State House to support her.

Maureen was among the last to testify and those who preceeded her all read from notes. While they were informative, their presentations were very dry. Maureen quickly realized that her testimony would be more powerful if she spoke extemporaneously. In fact, Maureen’s testimony was the best of the day and the legislators were truly interested in what she had to say.

Inspired by the day’s events, Maureen submitted an article summarizing this experience to School Library Journal. School Library Journal was so impressed by Maureen’s piece that they asked if they could reformat her story as a graphic arts piece.
Read about Maureen’s “Metamorphosis” in the January 2008 edition of School Library Journal at:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/info/CA6515886.html

~ Janet Eckert, Western Massachusetts Regional Library System