FORBUSH MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Annual
Report 2001
For
100 years (1901-2001), the Forbush Library, located at the center of
Westminster, has executed its mission to offer educational, cultural,
recreational and informational opportunities through its collection of
books, magazines, and more recently,
music CD’s, audio books, electronic media and other print and non-print materials, and, through the availability and
use of its meeting rooms.
More information about the library is available by
calling 978-874-7416 or by consulting the monthly newsletter or the library’s
homepage at www.westminster-ma.org/library.
Friends of the
Library
The Friends of the Library, Executive Board:
Beth D’Onfro, president, Deborah Foss, treasurer,
Martha Rainville and Rita Daley, pr.
Sundays with
Friends, was
a new winter offering, featuring storyteller Leeny Del Seamonds, Jessa Piaia portraying Amelia Earhart,
Waffles T. Clown reading the poems of Shel Silverstein. The Friends also hosted the annual Ice Cream
Social/Book Sale/Town Band Concert raising revenue for the library projects and
events. The Annual Halloween Bonfire,
co-sponsored by the Westminster Fire Department, included a pumpkin and costume
judging contest. On December 8th, the
Friends sponsored the annual Bake
Sale/Toy Sale and Photos with Santa. The Friends continue to fund passes to the
Fruitlands Museum and the Higgins Armory. Fundraising efforts support the
Summer Reading program and other library projects.
Volunteers
Among
our regular volunteers (not listed elsewhere) are Eunice Archangeli, Amanda
Bourgeois, Sinead Carter, Gwen Frohn, Aimee Hart, Danielle D’Onfro, Richard
Lawrence, Matt LeBlanc, Irene Mattila, Andrew Morin, Jim Pelleier, Pat
Thompson, Sandra Waronen
The trustees and staff appreciate all volunteers and community service workers who gave so much to the library. Over 1300 hours were donated helping with janitorial work, gardening, maintaining files, compiling photos, researching and inventorying artifacts, picking up the mail, doing bulletin boards, helping with fundraising and organizing events and projects in honor of the Library’s Centennial.
The Staff
The 2001 staff included: Barbara Friedman, Director;
Barbara Despres, Children’s Librarian; Jay Janell, Adult Services Librarian, Jo
Ann Helenius, Sr. Technician and Susan Yraola, Library Technician. Current Library Assistants are: Mary
Bassett, Mary Ann DeMarco, Lisa
Erickson, Richard Lawrence, Brad Mettey, Ben Mettey and Carol Young. Dave Buteau and Robert Cramm, Maintenance.
Trustees
At the 2001 Annual Town Meeting, the Trustees attempted to gain approval for a new full time position, with a maintenance person reporting to the Director. This article passed at Town Meeting, but failed the override. The new position was sought because the Trustees feel that the Library, a new and valuable building with almost 45,000 items in its catalog, as well as a rare book collection, historical artifacts and expensive equipment deserves to be well maintained. The current maintenance plan is a mishmash involving a part-time town maintenance person, volunteers, library staff, hired teenagers and outside contractors. The Trustees regret that they were unable to convince the voters to approve a new position. At the fall Special Town Meeting, an article requesting $10,000 to cover unfunded maintenance costs did pass.
Eileen Aldrich resigned from the Board of Trustees, having served as secretary of the Board since 2000. James Graves and Vicky Viviano have served as Advisory Board liaisons to the Board.
Preservation/Artifacts/Archives
The
Trustees act as guardians to many Town artifacts and enlist the help of
volunteers Lisa and Jeanne Erickson, Janice and Tony Wagner to inventory and
research artifacts weekly. The goal is
to complete the inventory and appraisal in 2002. A preservation grant was
successfully sought from the Board of Library Commissioners (Library Services
and Technology Act), which will allow for improvements during 2002.
Circulation of books, cd’s videos, dvd’s rose 30% in 5 yrs.
Internet Use recorded for 2001 was 2042
(appx. 1 hr. per use)
Finances
State
Aid $
10, 840
Operating expenses $ 88,425
Salaries $ 140,795
$ 240,060
Grants Received During 2001
Westminster Cultural
Council
$ 1,127 Preservation
Grant (LSTA Grant FY 2002)
$ 6,000
Contributions:
$ 665 In memory of Dolly Dawley for history
bks/endowment
$ 500 In memory of Martha Mossman for the
endowment
$ 500 Anonymous donations to the Alfreda
Altobelli for
programming for children &
young adults
$ 500 In memory of John Marysz from his wife
Stacy
$ 100 Memorial contributions from the Grahams to the Graham Fd
$ 100 From Richard and Jane Murphy to the
Altobelli Fund
$ 300 From Joyce and Lloyd Hannula and the NY
Times to the
endowment, the Altobelli Fund and to the Building Fund
Gifts
Jerrain and Cynthia Van Tuyl gave the Merriam Civil War Diary
Richard Lawrence donates the daily Boston Globe and NY Times
Many memorial donation from various individuals were
received for books. In-kind donations of books and other media are added to the
collection or given to the Friends of the Library for their Annual Book Sale in
August. All donations are greatly
appreciated, we regret we cannot list them all.
Children’s Programming
Stimulating
reading through brilliant bulletin boards, an interactive play environment,
dynamic reading materials and regular programming is the goal of the Children’s Room. Story hours offered for ages 0 to 6 years old are scheduled
weekly. The offerings are Lap Time, Circle Time, Family Stories, Time for
Two’s, Rainbow Time and Kindergarten Story Hours. The Summer Reading Program, with 2001’s theme of “firsts” hosted Larry Blotter, a Harry Potter impersonator, comedian Stephen Stearns, a Mad
Science wizard, the Thayer’s Symphony
& Pizza, ice cream making, Campfire Story Hours, Origami with Haruo Shiga, Twilight Story Time, Baby’s First Brunch, Toddler’s First Tea Time and the Gameboree. Funding for these programs was supported by the Westminster
Cultural Council and through private donations to the Alfreda Altobelli Fund
for Children and Young Adult Programming.
Adult Programming
The Summer Reading Program also encourages students
and adults to read during the summer. The Westminster Cultural Council and the
Altobelli Fund and participants in the 1st
Annual Croquet Match helped fund the following programs: First Ladies, Chinese Cooking with Norma
Chang and the Digital Clubhouse. Mary Vedoe,
first Westminster Selectwoman and Judy
Carr, first American “invitro fertilization” mother presented their
stories. Tom Lish brought Nypro’s FIRSTS
robot to show on Firsts Day.
The Library co-sponsors Great Decisions under the direction of George Lane and the Great Books Club under the direction of
Liz Nyman. Vicky Vivianno coordinated a monthly “new” book club. The Trustees
hosted a Newcomer’s Night. Many Community groups meet at the library
including: the Westminster Women’s Club, the Westminster Lion’s Club, the
Advisory Board, Cub Scouts, Westminster teachers, Westminster Elementary School
Colonial Days, the Westminster Country Club Golf Assn., the Westminster
Historical Commission and the Wachusett Winds.
Centennial Programs & Projects
Members of the
Centennial Committee: Ardeen Burgess, Julie Bedard, Melinda Estelle, Irene Kamila, Leola Leger, Cathy Pisaruk, Carole
McShane, Carmela Semonelli, Sandy Thibodeau, Claudia Best and many quilters,
and staff members Mary Bassett, Barbara Despres, Barbara Friedman and Susan
Yraola.
Melinda Estelle and Claudia Best co-chair
the Centennial Committee to highlight the accomplishments of the Library and
promote future interest in its mission.
Events started in August of 2001 and run through August of 2002.
Activities during 2001 included a Westminster Historical Society display 100 years of Library History arranged by
Carmela Seminonelli, a performance by musicians Myllarit, an Art Tour by
Joan McCall, the Centennial Story Hour Banner designed by the Children’s
staff with the assistance of story hour participants. The Children’s Garden designed by Frank Despres, will be completed with
family footprints in the spring.
The Commemorative
Quilt Project has been designed and will be assembled by
Claudia Ballard, Claudia Best, Terry Earle, Ida Flynn, Jessica Leger, LeeAnn
Gikis, Wendy Higgins, Kathy Maeder, Shirley Nolette, Diane Root, Gretchen
Schlier, Myrtle Walker and Gail Winturri Williams.
More than 100 Storytimes will be
presented by the Children’s Room Staff.
Nancy Sampson designed a commemorative pencil crock available for sale
to fund Centennial projects. Many more events are planned during 2002.
Regional and
State Affiliations
The Central Massachusetts Regional Library System
(CMRLS) provides staff education, consulting services, interlibrary loan, rotating books, audio and video tapes,
DVD’s, etc. The Library
is presently an
affiliate member of
Central/Western Massachusetts Resource Sharing (C/W MARS). C/W MARS provides the Forbush Memorial
Library with an electronic connection to other libraries and to the Internet.
The Library is a member of the New England Library
Association, Massachusetts Library Association, the American Library
Association and the Massachusetts Library Trustees Association.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Juliette Bedard, Chairperson
Robert
Sampson, Vice-Chairperson,
Ruth
Wojciak, Treasurer
Leola
Leger, Corresponding Secretary
Dana
Altobelli, Recording Secretary