FORBUSH MEMORIAL LIBRARY

                            

Annual Report 2002

 

 

The Library’s centennial year was a journey into the rich history of Westminster and also paved our way for the future.  Centennial Chairpersons, Melinda Estelle and Claudia Best, emphasized uniting people of various ages and interests to create, celebrate, learn and explore. The library hosted over 100 programs in 2002, bringing together thousands of individuals.  Babies sat on parent’s laps to hear stories and seniors told stories of their childhood memories of the library. It was an encompassing year, as we reflected fondly on our past, and at the same time were thrust into the future, as the Forbush Library became a circulating library of C/W MARS.

 

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, brought Peter Vuono, an escape artist, Mary Jo Maichack, a violinist/minstrel, Bill Meikle as Benjamin Franklin and Band of Voices, a group from Barre.  All performances filled the Eloranta Room with joy. In addition to these programs partially funded by the Westminster Cultural Council, the Friends 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, including a pumpkin and costume-judging contest.  On December 7th, the Friends sponsored the annual Bake 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. An all town membership drive was conducted in December.

 

Volunteers

Among our regular volunteers (not listed elsewhere) are Eunice Archangeli, Amanda Bourgeois, Sinead Carter, Gwen Frohn, Aimee Hart,  Richard Lawrence, Linda LeBlanc,   Irene Mattila, Andrew Morin, Jim Pelletier,  Meghan Sparks, Pat Thompson, Sandra Waronen

 

The trustees and staff appreciate all volunteers and community service workers who gave so much to the library.  Thousands of 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 2002 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, Marta Klemetti,  Richard Lawrence, Brad Mettey, Ben Mettey and Carol Young.   Doug Landry and Nick Seibert helped with maintenance.  Dave Buteau and Robert Cramm, Maintenance.

     

Trustees

 

The Reverend Martha Dickerman joined the Board of Library Trustees in January. 

 

Preservation/Artifacts/Archives

 

Before the near collapse of the Town Hall, several hundred items were transferred to the library’s artifact area, mostly frames and photos of past town officers.  Two significant items are temporarily at the Library: A wooden map case was cleaned by Jan & Tony Wagner and is now being used on the main floor of the library. A clock was restored by Don Irving and will hang in the Non-Fiction Room.

As per an article at the May Annual Meeting, guns and swords belonging to the town were cleaned and repaired.  Several significant swords were hung in the upstairs hall. Installation UV treatment and draperies in the Eloranta Room reduce damaging light sources. The Civil War Diary donated by the Van Tuyl family was sent for preservation treatment and has been returned to the library. Two significant collections: the Warner Collection & the Miles Collection were cataloged and preserved and are now available for use. The Hurd Genealogy Room has also received some attention.  Eloranta & Hurd Room Brochures prepared by Martha Rainville are now available.

The Trustee liaisons to the Artifacts Committee, namely, Bob Sampson and Leola Leger are indebted to those who have put many hours of care and study into the work of inventory, preservation and rearrangement of those items in the care of the Trustees. Lisa and Jeanne Erickson, Dana Altobelli, Jessica Leger, Janice and Tony Wagner, David Dickerman and Martha        

 Rainville worked closely with the library to complete the inventory  in 2002.  Appraisals of items are ongoing.

          

        

The Past 25 years have shown a dramatic increase in Circulation. 

Annual circulation has steadily increased. 25% more items circulating in 2002 than when the new addition opened in FY98. Statistics are not available for reference questions.  We assume a similar percentage increase in reference transactions.  We know that additions to the collection have also been dramatic.

Statistics For Calendar Year 2002

The Library was open                                     2,137 hours (286 days)

Total Circulation for the year                         76,025

Average Circulation per day                 265

Internet Use                                       1,870 (av. 1 hr.)

Holdings                                            45,000

 

Financial Information for FY 2002

Direct State Aid                              $    10,840 

Operating expenses                       $    88,425  

Salaries                                           $ 140,795

                                   

Westminster Cultural Council        $    1,500 

                        

Value of Service from CMRLS*     ($ 124,648)        

(Central Massachusetts Regional Library System –State Funded Regional System)

 

The Trustees gratefully acknowledge all donations to the Library

$3000  Donations to the Alfreda Altobelli for   

programming for children & young adults from many individuals

$500      From Ruth and Steve Wojciak

$300      From Joyce and Lloyd Hannula and the NY Times to

              the endowment,  the Altobelli Fund and Building Fund

$500    Stacy Marysz in memory of her husband John

$200    George & Betsy Lane in memory of Alfreda Altobelli

$300    Dana Altobelli & Tiffany Davis in memory of Alfreda

             Altobelli

 

 

Gifts

Richard Lawrence donates the daily Boston Globe and NY Times

An  outdoor stone memorial bench in memory of Judy Yarmoluk was donated by her husband Paul and family. 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

 

Encouraging reading with regular programming, an interactive play environment and dynamic reading materials 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, Drop-in Stories, Time for Two’s, Rainbow Time and Kindergarten Story Hours.  Regular Kindergarten Story Hours were discontinued in the fall of 2002 due to rescheduling. The Summer Reading Program, 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. During January and February, we host the Winter Reading Program. Children read and earn free pizzas donated by Town House Pizza.

 
Adult Programming

 

The Summer Reading Program also encourages students and adults to read during the summer. This year’s Star Spangled Summer had over 200 participants, who created a flag The Westminster Cultural Council and the Altobelli Fund and participants in the 2nd  Annual Croquet Match.

The Library co-sponsors Great Decisions under the direction of George Lane and the Great Books Club under the direction of Liz Nyman. 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., and the Westminster Historical Commission.

 

Centennial Programs & Project

Centennial events started in August of 2001, and filled the entire year of 2002 with happenings, mementos, and memories. Jeannine Giouard designed a logo that was put on everything from refrigerator magnets to Girl Scout patches to fans for the trolley ride.

Follows is a list of projects and events with the names of those who contributed their time.

 

The Westminster Historical Society Display in the Eloranta Room created by Carmela Semonelli,  with advice from Betsy Hannuala and Irene Kamila.

Birthday Banners in the Children’s Room created by the parents and children of our story hours and assembled by Carol Young, Lisa Erickson and Maryann DeMarco

The Commemorative Quilt Project  was completed by the quilters: Claudia Ballard, Claudia Best, Emily D’Onfro, Terry Earle, Ida Flynn, Jessica Leger, LeeAnn Gikis, Wendy Higgins, Kathy Maeder, Shirley Nolette, Tess Reid, Diane Root, Gretchen Schlier, Myrtle Walker and Gail Williams. 

200 Storytimes by our staff: Barbara Despres, Maryann DeMarco, Lisa Erickson and Carol Young

Creation of the Children’s Garden by Frank and Barbara Despres with assistance from David Best and David Egan and dedicated by Andrew Clements and Emily Chetkowski.

Art Tour with Joan McCall

Our Library,  The Woman’s Club Play  by G. A. Buckman performed by Denise MacAloney, Nancy Slauenwhite, Gloria Hughes, Marilyn McKeehan, Vicky Viviano, Amy Van Hazinga,

Leola Leger and Jessica Leger and funded by the Westminster Cultural Council

Fall Family Fun Literacy Program in November coordinated by Melinda Estelle

Commemorative Pencil Crocks by Nancy Sampson

The Friends of the Library Saturdays Series

I Remember Forbush Memorial Library When...

Kalevala Day Celebration arranged by Irene Kamila

Friends of the Library Coffeehouse chaired by Juliette Bedard

Pictorial Cancellation Art Contest and presentation of the Library’s Commemorative postal envelopes by Postmaster Dave Miller with cooperation of Art Teachers: Candace Anderson,

LeeAnn Lamsa and Brian Beaudoin.

May Volkswalk in Westminster

 organized by Jeannine & Norm Giourard and Myrt & Sid Walker

Centennial Scavenger Hunt Badge Program organized by Melinda Estelle with Julie Barrows

Star-Spangled Summer Reading Program , coordinated by the staff with the financial assistance from the Westminster Cultural Council and contributions to the Altobelli Fund.

The Rare Book Discussion featuring James Visbeck of Isaiah Thomas Books.

Polaroid Early Childhood Workshops funded by WAVE and coordinated by Melinda Estelle

The Thelma Project funded and completed by the Friends of Thelma Jurva Hakkarainen Lebeaux and the Great Books Club Members

Historical Mural for the Library’s Hallway by Amy Kukta, funded by the Westminster Cultural Council and installed October 2002.

 

 

 

The Library’s CENTENNIAL YEAR CELEBRATIONS August 2001-2002 concluded with Historical Trolley Rides on August 17, 2002 and the Annual Ice Cream Social, Book Sale and performance by the Town Band on August 18, 2002

 

The Forbush Memorial Library Trolley Ride

              Trolley Ride Cast of Characters

 

 

Abbie Bell                                                              Carol Young

Gamaliel W. Beaman                                           Jay Janell

The Carters                                                           Elaine Lawrence

                                                                                Dick Lawrence

Susan Doty                                                            Gabriele Griffis

Sally Gates Brackett                                            Sandra Waronen

The Fennos                                                            Melinda Estelle

                                                                                Lawrence Estelle

                                                                                Emily Estelle

                                                                                Cameron Estelle

Charles Forbush                                                   John Bowen

Charles Giles                                                        Robert Sampson

Mary Belle Hager                                                 Vicky Viviano

Daniel C. Miles                                                    George Lane

Nelson Appleton Miles                                       Richard Rollins

Robert Peckham                                                   Charles Peckham

Sarah Whitman                                                    Julie Fredette

 

 

Narrators                                                                               Gregg Buckman

                                                                                Anita Dube

Trolley Ride Coordinator                                    Sandra Thibodeau

 

Staff and Friends Members dressed in period costumes

 

Amanda Bourgeois                                               Sally Cragin

Mary Bassett                                                         Ben Mettey

Beth D’Onfro                                                         Cathy Pisaruk

Jill D’Onfro                                                           Barbara Friedman

Maddie D’Onfro                                                   Susan Yraola        

Sinead Carter                                                       Meghan Sparks

Pat Lasky                                                                               Martha Rainville

                                                         

*The Trolley ran in Westminster from 1899 to 1923.

 

 

Thank you to all participants and coordinators of our Centennial Events and to Co-Chairpersons: 

Melinda Estelle and Claudia Best

 

               CENTENNIAL TROLLEY RIDE

     AUGUST 17, 2002

This logo was designed especially for the

Library’s Centennial by Jeanine Girouard

 

Regional and State Affiliations

 

The Central Massachusetts Regional Library System (CMRLS) provides staff education, consulting services, interlibrary loan, rotating books, audio and videotapes, DVD’s, etc.   The Library

is now a mininet  member  of   Central/Western Massachusetts Resource Sharing (C/W MARS).  C/W MARS provides our community with an electronic connection to other libraries and to the Internet and home access to the library’s catalog and other resources.

 

The Library is a member of the New England Library Association, Massachusetts Library Association, the American Library Association and the Massachusetts Library Trustees Association.

           

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. 

                                    Respectfully Submitted,

                                    Robert Sampson, Chairperson,

                                                Juliette Bedard, Vice-Chairperson

                                                Ruth Wojciak, The Fiscal Affairs Officer

                                                Leola Leger, Corresponding Secretary

                                                Dana Altobelli, Recording Secretary

                                                Rev. Martha Dickerman, Trustee-at-large