Advocacy for All – Libraries in Action

The legislative season is upon us and, with a new administration, it’s a new ball game.  The 2015 Berkshire Library Legislative Breakfast is less than two weeks out. 

8:00 – 9:30 a.m. Friday, January 23 at the Berkshire Community College cafeteria

Please speak with your trustees and Friends to encourage them to attend.  You should have received the invitation / registration forms in delivery a few weeks ago.  In order to plan food and info packets, the Berkshire Breakfast Committee is looking for registrations by January 16, so start contacting supporters today.  There is no cost for the meal.  It is terribly important that we demonstrate to the legislative delegation that there are many “out there” that support our libraries.  Let’s fill the BCC cafeteria!

2013 Berkshire Legislative Breakfast

On Friday, January 25, 2013, more than 50 Berkshire librarians, trustees, elected officials and library supporters attended the 15^th breakfast at the Mason Library in Great Barrington.  Senator Benjamin Downing, Representatives Gailanne Cariddi, Paul Mark, and Smitty Pignatelli attended and shared their observations and advice. 

·         The Governor’s budget has been released; the House budget will be released April 10. 

·         Representatives will be submitting their budget priorities in February and March. 

·         Start now - make sure your representatives know what is important to your library and your users. 

·         Contact your friends, relatives and colleagues in the eastern districts of the Commonwealth and ask them to write, call, email their legislators supporting the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ 2014 Legislative Agenda.

·         Attend Library Legislative Day at the State House March 26.  (The Western Mass Library Advocates will be sending information on the bus very shortly.)

·         Debate on the House budget will begin in earnest the last week of April.

If you haven’t attended a legislative breakfast yet, check the Massachusetts LibraryAssociation website for opportunities in your area.  Join your colleagues and let your representatives and senator know what your library needs.  Bring your trustees and elected officials.  Advocate.  It’s good for you.

Western MA Legislative Breakfasts Start This Week

Legislative Breakfast season is upon us! These events across the 4 western counties are opportunities to learn about this year's big library issues and to get guidance and support from our State Senators and Representatives. This is especially important at this time, with the State budget process for FY12 about to get underway.

Plan to attend a breakfast for your representatives. Following are details about each breakfast in Western Massachusetts. All types of libraries benefit from State funding for libraries, so we hope you will encourage staff members, trustees, friends, and officials to join you. If you're emailing, please use the Subject "Legislative Breakfast RSVP."

Senator Stephen Brewer
Friday, February 4, 2011 ~ 8:00 a.m. – Monson Free Library
Host: Katie Krol, Library Director
Registration email: kkrol@cwmars.org

Senator Ben Downing
Friday, February 11, 2010 ~ 8:00 a.m. Adams Free Library
Host: Deborah Bruneau, Library Director
Registration email: L.Kaufmann@mcla.edu

Senator Michael Knapik
Friday, February 11, 2011 ~ 8:15 a.m. – Westfield Athenaeum
Host: Christopher Lindquist, Library Director
Registration email: rmelnick@westath.org

Senator Stanley Rosenberg
Friday, February 11, 2011 ~ 8:00 a.m. – Greenfield Community College
Host: Eric Poulin, Coordinator of Library Services
Register at http://masslibsystem.org by clicking on the Services tab at the top of the page, then click on Continuing Education in the drop down menu to reach the MLS Calendar of Events.

Senator James Welch AND Senator Gale Candaras
>>>A combined breakfast for the two senatorial districts that overlap in Springfield<<<
Friday, February 18, 2011 ~ 8:00 a.m. ~ Springfield City Library
Host: John Ramsay, Assistant Library Director
Registration email: JRamsay@SpringfieldLibrary.org
Or phone the library at 413-263-6828 x. 290

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

12th Annual Berkshire Library Legislative Breakfast

On Friday, March 05, 2010, the 12th Annual Berkshire Library Legislative Breakfast was held at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. Fifty-seven trustees, librarians, and friends from all over Berkshire County took the opportunity to express their support of libraries and their concerns about cuts in state funding for libraries. Senator Ben Downing and Representative Smitty Pignatelli confirmed the need to make our voices heard in Boston and asked for letters supporting state funding for regional library systems (7000-9401) and library technology (7000-9506). Constituent letters help them persuade their colleagues of the needs of western Massachusetts.

Speakers included: Ron Latham, Director of the Berkshire Athenaeum and Master of Ceremonies, Rob Maier, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, Jan Resnick, Assistant Regional Administrator of the Western MA Regional Library System (WMRLS), Hope Bodwell, Director of the Monson Free Library representing C/W MARS, and Deborah Bruneau, Director of the Adams Free Library representing the Friends of WMRLS. Attending in addition to local supporters were Commissioner Dr. Em Claire Knowles, Commissioner Vicki Kaufman, and John Ramsay, Regional Adminstrator, WMRLS.

~Jan Resnick, Assistant Regional Administrator, WMRLS