Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Exhibit: The Gesture in Light: Illuminated



The UMass Amherst Libraries host an exhibit, “The Gesture in Light: Illuminated,” by Theresa Antonellis from Monday January 9, 2012 through Sunday May 11, 2012, in the Science and Engineering Library, Lederle Lowrise, UMass Amherst.  A reception will be held Thursday, February 2, from 4-6pm.  The exhibit consists of a related series of framed prints featuring photo-enhanced light photography.  
Theresa Antonellis is the Director of the UMass Student Union Art Gallery and a second year graduate student in the University’s MFA program in Studio Arts.  She graduated magna cum laude from Mount Holyoke College as part of the Frances Perkins Scholarship program. With double majors in Art Studio and Art History, Antonellis was the recipient of the Fitz-Randolf Prize for Outstanding Work.  Recent participation in juried art exhibitions include Art In Nature (Fruitlands Museum - Harvard, MA); Paperworks  (Joshibi University of Arts And Design -Tokyo, Japan); and Arches Exhibition (Boston Printmakers Guild, Framingham, MA).
“My interests include the drawn line as a record of human gesture, patterns in nature, the mirrored image and evidence of time found in accumulation of layers,” says Antonellis.  “In choosing to work in non-representational methods, the work both negates and invites the gaze. The intention is that the images will engage the viewer in a meditative discovery of familiar places and events both in the mind and in nature.”  
For more information, contact Madeleine Charney (413-577-0785, mcharney@library.umass.edu).

Thursday, December 22, 2011

New Book Boss

From the Greenfield Recorder

GREENFIELD — The library has a new director who will begin on |Feb. 6.
Library trustees made their recommendation to the mayor and he approved their choice.
Ellen R. Boyer of South Burlington, Vt., will bring more than 20 years’ experience to Greenfield.
Dennis Helmus, the town’s human resources director, said Boyer’s salary will start at approximately $60,000 a year. He said all of the terms of her employment have been negotiated.
The trustees have been searching for a new library director since Sharon Sharry decided to take a job as director of the Jones Library in Amherst. Sharry left in August and the local library has been operating without a director since.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

WMHIC (Western Mass. Health Information Consortium)

To all

We have a new partner in our efforts to connect all libraries in Western Mass. WMHIC is a group of libraries that have an interest in health information - hospitals, colleges with Allied Health and Nursing programs and individuals interested in health education. If you fit one of these categories - consider joining. See text below for more information.

The Western Massachusetts Health Information Consortium (WMHIC) met last Friday, December 16th, for their winter quarterly meeting. The meeting included updates from all the member institutions and concluded with a tour of the cutting edge and unique medical simulation lab at Springfield Technical Community College.

The next meeting will take place in March, time and place TBD (will be announced on this blog). If you are a librarian who works with health information in any capacity and might be interested in joining, please check out our website (http://wmhic.blogspot.com/) and consider joining our Google Group to receive email updates. You can also contact the president, Margot Malachowski, at margot.malachowski@baystatehealth.org.

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Thursday, December 15, 2011

South Hadley town meeting OKs plan to borrow $4.2 million to build new public library

Published: Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 9:51 PM     Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 10:11 PM
Jeanette DeForge, The Republican
101211 new south hadley library rendering.JPGThis is a graphic rendering of the proposed new South Hadley Public Library.
SOUTH HADLEY– Town meeting members voted overwhelmingly to borrow up to $4.2 million to build a new library Wednesday night.

During the meeting, most people spoke in favor of the project. A group of supporters sat in the back showing signs pushing for a yes vote.
A two-thirds majority was needed to pass the proposal. The 67-17 vote meant it easily passed. When the vote was announced, the hall erupted in applause.
“This is the time to have a new library,” said Robert Robertson, a town meeting member. “I have never had the volume of support from people coming to me.”
In lobbying for the project, Mitchell Resnick, chairman of the Public Library Board of Trustees, argued that the circulation of books and use of computers and other materials has been increasing.
“To build a new library is a popular initiative,” he said, citing numerous letters to the editor and the support of voters in the Nov. 8 election.
But others said the project is not something that the town can afford.
Town Meeting Member Larry Dubois argued for converting the Plains School into a library and said he was opposed to locating the library as close to the Connecticut River where the humidity is higher.
“They are not doing anything to reduce costs,” he said. “We need to have a townwide plan for what we are going to do.”
 The full cost of the library is $10.1 million. The town has received a $4.8 million grant from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, but taxpayers had to agree to borrow $4.2 million for the construction.
Private donors are to raise the remaining about $1.1 million. Already the community has raised $400,000.

The town had to secure the finances to build the library by a Jan. 31 deadline or risk losing the grant.

“We should stand up and claim our grant. We use it or we lose it forever,” Resnick, said.
Town officials have been debating replacing the aging, cramped library for at least three years. The existing library is not accessible to the disabled and repairs needed to the roof and carpeting and others would cost about $230,000, said Joseph Rodio, the library director.
Already the location, a brownfield formerly owned by Northeast Utilities at Main and Canal streets, has been selected for the new building by Town Meeting. Architect Philip O’Brien of Johnson Roberts Associates, has been hired to design the building and completed a rendering of the proposed library.

In November, voters passed a referendum asking them if they supported the debt exclusion which would raise taxes for the 20-years of the bond. The vote was close with 1,751 residents voting yes, 1,412 voting no. Voter turnout was 25 percent.
Despite the referendum vote, Town Meeting still had to vote to bond for the money because it it the financing authority of the town.
 Library trustees have said the average homeowner would see an increase of $38 a year in their tax bill.



© 2011 masslive.com. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Legislative Breakfast season is coming up!

Thanks to all the hosting libraries for taking on this responsibility. Their efforts will help all of us.

Copied and pasted below is the list of breakfasts. Find your senator and then sign up for his/her breakfast. In a separate email to the WMRLS list, we will forward the entire 2 page letter that has gone out to libraries in the Pioneer Valley. Hope to run into some friends at the Breakfasts!

Please register with the hosts so that they can plan on refreshments, etc.

Western Mass Library Legislative Breakfasts Schedule ~ 2012

Full descriptions of the Breakfasts, plus registration information and directions are available at http://mla.memberlodge.org/Breakfasts

Thanks to the Mass. Library Association for hosting the information this year.

Senator Michael Knapik

Friday, January 27, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. ~ Holyoke Community College, Kittredge Center Room KC 303
Host: Kathleen McDonough, Interim Dean of Library Services and Academic Support
Registration email: jtomlinson@hcc.mass.edu

Senator Stanley Rosenberg

Friday, January 27, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. ~ Forbes Library, Northampton

Host: Janet Moulding, Library Director
Registration email: LDowning@forbeslibrary.org

Senator James Welch

Friday, January 27, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. ~ Agawam Public Library
Host: Judith Clini, Library Director

Registration email: jclini@agawamlibrary.org

Senator Benjamin Downing

Friday, January 27, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. ~ Berkshire Athenaeum

Host: Ron Latham, Library Director

Registration email: l.kaufmann@mcla.edu

Senator Gale Candaras

Friday, February 10, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. ~ East Longmeadow Public Library
Host: Susan Peterson, Library Director

Registration email: speterson@eastlongmeadowma.gov

Senator Stephen Brewer

Friday, February 24, 2012 ~ 8:30 a.m. ~ Palmer Public Library

Host: Nancy Menard, Library Director

Registration email: nmenard@palmer.lib.ma.us


Find the names of your state Senator and Representative(s) by visiting the Massachusetts Library Association - Elected Officials website http://capwiz.com/ala/ma/state/main/?state=MA

Friday, December 9, 2011

50 years of cooperation among Western Mass. Libraries

Hi all

Last week, we celebrated 50 years of Western Mass. Library friendships and memories on what would have been the 50th anniversary of WMRLS. There were cocktails, good food, reminiscences and a lot of laughter at the wonderful Apollo Grill in Easthampton.

Pictures on the website! Enjoy.

Friday, December 2, 2011

50 Years of Library Cooperation














Last night western Massachusetts librarians, trustees and legislators celebrated 50 years of cooperation, services and advocacy at the Apollo Grille in Easthampton. On December 1, 1961, the first Massachusetts regional library system, the Western Regional Public Library System, was founded.

Even though the Western MA Regional Library System is no longer in action (see below), the Western MA Library Advocates (WMLA) is thriving, offering programs, opportunities for advocacy, and occasions for library advocates to gather, support libraries services in western Mass and share a mutually beneficial and treasured history. This anniversary party was no exception.

Participants from the five western counties brought photos and artifacts from the history of the Western Region, the WMRLS Friends, and the Western MA Library Club (WMLC). (The Advocates is a merger of these last two organizations.) The occasion was honored by the presence of three Regional Administrators: Frank P. Taplin (first), Bruce S. Baker (third), and John E. Ramsay (final). Mass Library Association Ruth Urell attended as did Representative Don Humason and Aide to Senator Knapik Dan O’Brien. Most of the WMLA Board was there as were members of the previous WMLC board.

There were lots of stories, even some new ones. Brian Marchese, former driver for WMRLS observed when looking at the slide show that was being shown: “You know—looking at those pictures, I feel like I’m seeing reruns of an old TV show that I used to watch a lot. Like—‘Oh, here’s the episode where Mary and Jan (insert plotline here)…..’ I have to remind myself that this was actually my life every day for ten years!” In addition to plans for the future, the evening held a lot of history and a lot of joy.

As an aside, the Apollo Grille provided delicious food complemented by the music of guitarist Mark Schwaber. WMLA President Eric Poulin MC’d the comments. On behalf of the Cooperating Libraries of Greater Springfield President Kathy McDonough presented WMLA with a donation of $200 to support advocacy efforts. Everyone had a great time; maybe we’ll do this again next year.

(Following the Western Region, the Central and Eastern regions formed. In 1982, the Western Region became the first Massachusetts regional library system to form a nonprofit corporation. In the late 80’s, an affiliate membership was created to allow a few nonpublic libraries to join the system for ILL and delivery services. In the early ‘90’s, regional systems were expanded to include all types of libraries and the number of systems was increased to 6. In 2010, funding was diminished to such a degree that the 6 systems were dissolved. The Massachusetts Library System was established to support library services in the Commonwealth.)

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Looking for Volunteers to Scan Yiddish Books

The Yiddish Book Center in Amherst is looking for a few good librarian volunteers to scan Yiddish books. The Center recently installed equipment from the Internet Archive and is scanning about 4000 rare and fragile titles onsite. Knowledge of the Hebrew alphabet and its orientation is useful, but knowledge of Yiddish is not necessary. If you can volunteer onsite in Amherst, contact Catherine Madsen, Bibliographer, at the Center 413/256-4900 x153 or cmadsen (at) bikher.org.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Anniversary celebration

Hi all

Remember - Dec. 1 is the 50th anniversary celebration of sharing among libraries in Western Mass. For the RSVP, click below. Hope to see everyone there

Friday, October 28, 2011

Mary Kronholm - Newest MBLC Commissioner and from Western Mass


After countless years of no representation from the western part of the state, finally Mary Kronholm, active library advocate and trustee of the Blandford Public Library, has been chosen by Governor Patrick to be our representative!

Lovely ceremony in an old white church, beautifully restored and home of the Blandford Historical Society. Lots of snow up there, too!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Book Talk: Stories of the Vietnam Draft and War



UMass Amherst Libraries will host the seventh annual colloquium on Social Change at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 10, 2011, in the Cape Cod Lounge at the Student Union, UMass Amherst.  Social justice activist Tom Weiner will give a talk on his recently published book Called to Serve: Stories of Men and Women Confronted by the Vietnam War Draft.  The book is the fruit of years of extensive interviews, with chapters for people who made different choices among the available options: to serve, to resist, to leave the country, to become a conscientious objector, or to find a way around the draft altogether, as well as a chapter for those who loved, counseled and supported.  Weiner’s presentation will include several of his interview subjects who will share parts of their testimonies.  Weiner recently donated the tapes of the interviews and the transcripts to Special Collections and University Archives.  For more info visit: http://bit.ly/socialchange_2011.