Laura Berry is the Shutesbury resident I choose to reenact as part of our town's 250th anniversary celebration. Like me she was a library lover. One of the first names in the patron ledger of the Spear Library and a Trustee in 1916, she came to my attention when I read a touching get well letter she sent to little Lucy Hamilton who died of diabetes at age 6 in 1892. Born Laura Leunette Berry in Shutesbury in 1862 she died Lura Barnes at the Athol nursing home in1959.

As I imagine Laura, I conjure her spirit and keep her alive. Even if I get the details wrong, I still believe it is better than not remembering her at all.

I can only imagine that Laura as well as Mary Clark, Eliza Stowell, Hattie Ames and William Hemenway were among the community that rejoiced and took pride in the new library built in 1902 for $1547.61.

William Hemenway "was one of the finest men who ever lived, he would do everything in his power for anyone" said his friend and neighbor Newton Crossman. Shutesbury town clerk after his father's death, Hemenway established the Free Public library in 1894 and oversaw the construction of the new library. Buried in the West Cemetery with no headstone, his footnote in history " The modern book racks that adorn our library were a gift from him

and he was also contemplating more extensive work in the near future”

I would like to ask Mr. Hemenway "what's up with the opposition to a new library?" and I can imagine what he would ask in return:

1. Is it good for the town?
2. Can the town afford it?

I would answer a resounding "yes" to both. As an admirer of his prose I would quote him:
" The opportunity awaits every youth as well as individual of maturer years to enter through the medium of books, the companionship of men and women of letters, who have had at their disposal the wisdom of the ages. The unequalled privilege never possessed before by modern civilization should inspire as well as animate the masses of the people"
“your Trustees have to report a steady growth and patronage of the institution, the management of which has been placed in our hands. We are continually short of room for storing the ever accumulating volumes coming to the Library. The voters of the town will have the opportunity at the town meeting to act...

I would explain that the price tag includes a goal of net zero carbon footprint, that over 70% will be covered by a grant and fund raising, and that several town boards and 2/3 of town meeting voters agree now it is our turn to build a library.

I don't really know how Lura and Mr. Hemenway would feel about our new library but I am willing to take a guess...