From John Wilson's report
Hubbard Memorial Library in Ludlow 7/15/24
The library has a board of three trustees. They were signed up for a roundtable for trustees, possible an orientation by MBLC.
Ludlow was the world's Number one producer of jute and there is even today a factory in India known as the Ludlow Jute Factory.
The building has experienced water intrusion (aka flooding) in the basement causing damage to books, many of which were valiantly saved due to the knowledge, experience and hard work of the staff, many of whom have been at the library for many years. Olivia loved this library as a child, got a job, then a library degree. Is learning archiving.
Visit to the Westfield Atheneum 7/16/24
At the invitation of my friend Harry Rock who is a library trustee, I visited the Westfield Athenaeum along with fellow commissioner Tim Cherubini on July 16, 2024.
Harry Rock is a library Trustee, TV show host and was chair of Westfield's 350th anniversary celebration
I'm learning that there are all kinds of libraries. Combining a library and a museum makes sense as their missions overlap in some ways
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the Great Hall was magnificent
Seed catalogue
Guy McLain is the executive Director of the Westfield Athenaeum. He and Harry gave a great tour.
I learned why Westfield is known as "Whip City"
1904 Massachusetts Art Library Map
In 1890 the Library Commission was established in large part due to the advocacy of Elizabeth Putnam Sohier who served 36 years on the Commission and never missed a meeting. She determined that every municipality should have a pubic library and in 14 years, this was accomplished.
Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
As bplboston Summer Reading programs draw to a close, we invite you to make reading a part of your daily practice.
Today, just the Boston Public Library has more than 23 million items in its collection and circulated around 5.5 million physical and digital items in 2023.
Map: The public libraries of Massachusetts (1904)
#bpl #LMEC #maps #bostonmaps #localhistory #bostonhistory #bostonmuseum #thingstodoinboston #bostontourism #bostonpubliclibrary
https://collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:wd3761121
Blandford - Porter Memorial visit on 7/16/24
I was driving through Blandford, and when I saw the OPEN sign couldn't resist popping in to see Nicole, rockstar librarian current president of the Western Mass Library Advocates. I had wanted to visit Blandford but didn't get a chance, last fall as part of the western Mass library ultimate library tour.
From the 1904 Annual report of the Free Library Commission
I have overheard this same conversation more than once:
Library lover: Oh, I miss card catalogs!
Librarian: I don't.
I delight in repurposed card catalogs and my mind flashes to the many seed libraries in particular.
Nicole told me that during the pandemic, a local artist painted 300 rocks and tossed them randomly about town, then mailed 2 postcards to two local people, Mary Kronholm one of them, and soon the whole town was searching and finding rocks which they brought to the library where they were catalogued and are stored in the old card catalog. Children love to open the drawers and hold the rocks. I did too.
Nicole is an awesome library advocate doing amazing things in her little library.
I love to see what libraries can do with support. The patio adds space for the community to be together
Superlibrarian!
Springfield Reading Club
My friend Jeannie grew up in Springfield. She was a library loving kid who grew to be a professor and a force for social good. Jeannie was in the reading club and she recently gave me her pins which she saved all these years
3/13/25 Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon Legislative Breakfast
No matter how grim the political and economic news, it's impossible not to smile in a sunny room full of library advocates.
This morning's Library Legislative breakfast in Winchendon included homemade donuts, gluten-free pumpkin bread, fresh fruit, chocolate muffins, and stories from people whose lives have been empowered by libraries.
Closing out the 2025 library legislative breakfast season was a visit to Winchendon and the fabulous Beals Memorial Library. Manuel King the director welcomed the community with a terrific breakfast and inspiring speakers from the community. I learned that the Beals in Winchendon is the first library in the state to be autism welcoming and that the library's funding is at the mercy of a proposition 2 and a half override in May. Good Luck Beals!
Senator Jo Comerford is a library champion and it's always a treat to catch a selfie with other powerhouse women Elena Cohen and Erika Eitland
Built in 1913
The breakfast included an array of delicious goodies for every taste
Dana Public Library
The town of Dana, (along with the towns of Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott,) was disincorporated in 1938 for the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir
Looking through the report of the free library commission I learned about the library's history
1907 Report of the Free Library Commission
MBLC Director's Tour of Williamstown, Richmond, Great Barrington, Stockbridge, Monterey, Becket libraries and archives
Thank you Alex Reszkowski and everybody who helped organize the tour ,and to library staff, trustees, friends and volunteers for welcoming the group
Tuesday, November 12
10am - Milne Public Library in Williamstown
11:45am - Lunch at Hancock Shaker Village
1pm - Richmond Free Public Library
2:30pm - Great Barrington Public Library, Mason Branch
4pm - Stockbridge Library
5pm - Austen Riggs Center Library & Archives
Dinner in Stockbridge
Wednesday, November 13
9am - Monterey Library
10:30am - Jacob's Pillow
Noon - Lunch at the Porter Memorial Library in Blandford
Alex and Vicky
Maureen at Milne
Wendy Pearson director of the Stockbridge Library, Museum and Archives
Archives and Preservation Jacob's Pillow
- Norton Owen, Director of Preservation
- Patsy Gay, Associate Archivist
- Sumi Matsumoto, Digital Archivist
Whenever I enter a library for the first time I feel a combination of awe and comfortable familiarity. Every library whether big or small, fancy or plain, old or new makes me happy. I could never pick a favorite library. HOWEVER, the dance library and archive at Jacob's Pillow thrilled me in a special way because it combined 2 of my favorite things in the world. When I got home, I made a donation to JP as a thank-you.
I knew a bit about Ruth St. Denis after studying up when the Crescent Dancers were invited to dance at Community Day in 2004 but I didn't know much about Ted Shawn. On the tour, I learned that I was not giving Ted Shawn the credit he deserved for the establishment of Jacob's Pillow. Sorry Ted!
The photographs were amazing.
Monterey Public Library
- Trustees:
- Mickey Jervas, Chair to 2025.
- Judy Kaminstein to 2026.
- Nancy Kleban to 2024.
- Cheryl Zellman to 2024.
- Rebecca Wolin to 2025.
- Sam Reggio to 2026.
Mark Maycook in Monterey along with trustees Micky and Sam and Mark's sister
Wendy and Maureen at Stockbridge
Dawn Jardine Great Barrington Library Director and Tim Cherubini MBLC commissioner
Sharon Shaloo is a trustee at Great Barrington
Alex gets playful (who could resist a puppet theater!) at the Richmond Free Public Library
Richmond
Shaker Hancock Village
The delegation was warmly welcomed at the Blandford Public Library and treated to a delicious lunch and delightful conversation about the wonderful library community. Thank you Blandford!
Trustee Mary Kronholm is a former MBLC commissioner and an unstoppable force for the good of libraries
Director Nicole Daviau talked about plans for the future renovation of the tiny Porter Memorial Library in Blandford
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