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Library News |
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Elizabeth Johnston, Library Director Published in The Sherborn Tab, October 21, 1999 The Tab has presented me with the opportunity to chat about Library services with Sherborn residents in a newspaper column format. In this, my first column, I thought I would introduce you to the key personalities behind the Library who make it tick. Taking it from the top, we have the Board of Library Trustees who you elected to office. The Trustees vote policy into practice and oversee the growth and expenditure of our endowed funds. The Board consists of nine Trustees who meet six times a year with interim subcommittee meetings to tackle specific projects or issues. Dudley Willis is Chairman of the Board and he also serves on the House, Personnel, and Finance Subcommittees. The other Trustees are: Sue Storer, Personnel Subcommittee Chair and Recording Secretary; Rafe Lowell, House Subcommittee Chair; Bruce Eckman, Technology Subcommittee Chair; George Motley, Finance Subcommittee Chair; Holly Young, Sandy King, Tom Faldetta, and Ed Perry, each of whom serves on a respective committee. The Library Trustees are dedicated, talented, smart, and pleasant people. Items currently on the top of their agenda are: the design and fabrication of a cabinet to house the Bowditch-Saltonstall-Pease Rare Book Collection and Henry Hudson Kitson sculpture donated to the Library last year; masonry repairs to the roof, chimney, and walkway; upgrading Library technology; and cooperating with the Town Personnel Board to evaluate staff positions. The Friends of the Sherborn Library are a volunteer fund-raising group for the Library. Friends' groups exist throughout the nation to raise funds to enhance local public libraries and many have incorporated as nonprofit organizations like our own. Citizens become members of the Friends of the Library by paying annual dues through the Fall membership drive. The Friends also organize the Annual Arts and Crafts Fair not only to raise funds, but also to foster Sherborn family and community life, and cultural awareness. One hundred percent of the membership dues and revenues from donations and programs directly support the services of the Sherborn Library. A brochure describing Library services and programs that the Friends support is mailed annually to every Sherborn household. The Friends of the Library fund all of the adult and children's cultural programs, including supplies for children's weekly Lap-Sit and Story-Time programs, special book collections, the museum passes, and special projects. Most recently, the Friends raised funds to refurbish the Library. Also, the Friends raised every cent necessary over a five-year period to automate the Library catalog in 1996. A governing Friends' Board works hard to support the services you back with your donations. Diane Anderson is President; Marie Owen is Vice President. Gita Coutts, Leslie Barnett, Sheryl McSweeney, Mary Wolff, Sherry Guenther, Noreen Mitchell, Carol Holt, Amy Balestieri, Laura Gardner, Mary Pat Dauria, Gail Warden, Meg Patriquin, and Rosemary Rudin also donate their time on the Friends' governing Board to make the Library a fun and interesting place. Most of you are familiar with the staff of the Sherborn Library. Several of us are professional-level librarians holding a Master of Science degree in Library and Information Science. We are: Kathleen Rao, Technical Services Librarian who catalogs our collection online and makes them available for borrowing; Cheryl Stern Ouellette, Children's Librarian who provides research services and instruction for students and parents, develops the child, youth and parenting collections, and organizes programs and special events that encourage families to read; Donna Bryant, Public Services Librarian who provides the adult population with research services, teaches the Internet, manages circulation services, and organizes cultural and educational programs for the adult population. As for me, I select and purchase all the materials in the collection for adults, negotiate the operating budget, help raise funds, liaison with the Trustees, the Friends of the Library, and municipal government, maintain the computer system, and perform general facility and personnel management. Our paraprofessional staff is Folly Shaffer, Howard Fisher, Judith Szczeblowski, Sandra Nisbet, and our Library Aide is Julia Cartaya. Our staff is complemented by a volunteer staff who we train and supervise to assist us with our daily work. Each volunteer works two to five hours a week, or more as needed. They are: Kay Iverson, Cynthia Hill, Cindy Hinckley, Angela Wycherley, Sandy King, Barbara Hammel, Janet Jacobs, Betty Wicks, Maureen Rugo, Barbara McNally, Ben Carroll, Betsy Cochran, and Magali Leroux. Sherborn citizens will recognize the names of their neighbors in this Who's Who of the Sherborn Library. And that's the reason why the Library's fosters community participation in its programs of service. The above list of noble volunteers and career librarians welcome your insights on what they can do to make the Sherborn Library work for you. -end- |
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