Hampshire Council of Governments and UMass Amherst Libraries Honor County's 350th

Limited Edition Prints will be available for sale at Northampton's Art Night Out on Friday, May 11 

 

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (April 12, 2012) – The Hampshire Council of Governments and UMass Amherst Libraries recently selected 44 historic documents to reproduce and offer for sale as a cooperative fundraising effort and to commemorate the 350th Anniversary of Hampshire County. The reproductions were selected from the collection of dockets, session books, maps, and other paper records dealing with Hampshire County business from as early as 1677 that the Council transferred to UMass Amherst Libraries last year.

Proceeds from the sale of limited edition prints during the summer months of Arts Night Out in Northampton will benefit the Old Hampshire County Courthouse renovation project and the continued digitization of the collection at UMass Amherst Libraries. The reproductions include an indictment for witchcraft in 1683 and lists of licensees for selling spirituous liquors to a copy of a Shay’s Rebellion broadside. Rare maps of area towns are also part of the limited edition offering, most dating to the mid-1800s.

The Libraries received the historic collection, which has been valued at $206,000, from Hampshire Council last year. “We wanted to allow for the permanent preservation of our valuable history in a manner that would keep the records in the public domain and in a format that will permit easy access,” says Todd Ford, Executive Director of the Council.

Rob Cox, head of Special Collections and University Archives at UMass Amherst, calls the collection “a historic treasure of western Massachusetts… an acquisition that expands our services and resources to scholars in legal studies, genealogists, landscape and regional planners, developers, and engineers.”

The records are securely housed in the Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives offices on the 25th floor of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. Many are available for view online, and all are available for use on site by appointment.

The reproduction prints will be framed by local framers and will be part of a summer-long silent auction. A limited number of additional prints will be available for sale on an ongoing basis through the Arts Night Out Gallery in the Old Hampshire County Courthouse.

Contact: Todd Ford, Executive Director, 413-584-1300 x 121, tford@hampshirecog.org
Carol Connare, Director of Library Development and Communication, 413-545-0995, cconnare@library.umass.edu

MODERN HEROINE AT FORBES THIS MONDAY

 

Forbes Library in Northampton is hosting three mystery authors from Sisters in Crime New England (including New York Times best-selling author Julia Spencer-Fleming) for a discussion of the modern heroine this Monday evening, May 7, 2012 at 7 pm.

Single mothers, cops, attorneys, journalists - today's heroines balance relationships and careers, leap over sexist obstacles, and rescue themselves from danger. Women authors are redefining the genre. 

Find out how they create strong women characters.

Jim Ciullo, a brother in crime from Pittsfield and former Peace Corps volunteer in Venezuela, whose novels include ORINOCO and MARACAIBO, based on his Peace Corps experience, and feature strong women characters.

 

Vicki Doudera, a top producing broker for a firm on the coast of Maine and former Realtor of the Year, whose books include A HOUSE TO DIE FOR and KILLER LISTING, featuring amateur sleuth Darby Farr, a red-hot agent making multimillion dollar deals while solving bloody crimes.

 

Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times best-selling author of seven Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne novels, which include IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, and her most recent, ONE WAS A SOLDIER, which has won countless awards.

This program is free and open to the public and is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. For more information contact Lisa at ldowning@forbeslibrary.org. 

Accessing BPL Services - WMLA Spring Meeting in Stockbridge

 

Michael Colford, Director of Library Services – Boston Public Library (BPL), and Laura Imrscher, Collection Development Manager – BPL, presented a new model for services from the BPL at the Western MA Library Advocates Spring Meeting on Thursday, April 12, 2012.  Their presentation on the new 3 pronged model emphasized a truly "digital commonwealth" library, statewide reference and research, and statewide collection development and access.  A partnership with The Digital Commonwealth (DC) will provide BPL a platform for ongoing digitization projects and archiving.  A grant from LSTA to fund a feasibility study project to aid local libraries and institutions with digitization projects is underway.  BPL is accepting applications for the 2nd year of the project.  The DC has the organizational structure with little money while BPL has the funding ability and technological requirements to offer these services.

BPL has subscribed to Overdrive for audio and e-book access with limited video as well.  The biggest problem with e-books is the refusal of the 6 largest publishers to sell to libraries.  BPL is also launching a new online catalog NEWCAT developed by BiblioCommons/Toronto.  ILLiad is the journal article delivery service to patrons and can be initiated by the patron.  Anyone living or going to school in Massachusetts can obtain a BPL library card online which is good for 3 years.  BPL also intends to revitalize 24/7 reference service.  Laura emphasized BPL’s collection development aspirations and ease of access to online BPL services.   

 

After a brief break, President Eric Poulin chaired the Business Meeting.  Eric reported on activities of the Board in the past several months and plans for the future.  Greg Pronevitz, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Library System, gave an update on activities and lead a lively discussion with attendees.  Minutes of the meeting will appear soon on the WMLA website.   

Representative 'Smitty' Pignatelli (Lenox) attended the program and part of the business meeting.  He is very pleased at the level of advocacy and cooperation in western Massachusetts and encouraged libraries to continue their participation in WMLA programs and activities.  He is enthusiastic about the resources that BPL is making available to libraries and users throughout the Commonwealth.  He is also pleased to see that the MLS is working together with WMLA and western libraries to protect and improve services.