Beaman Friends

Budget Status = $0.00 AGAIN!

2009-03-09T18:04:00.033-04:00

The Friends strongly encourage all library supporters to attend the May 18th Annual Town meeting at 7:00 in the High School Auditorium. It is VITALLY IMPORTANT that library supporters attend this meeting to ensure that the proposed funding for the library is appropriated. Please read below to learn the serious consequences to all residents if the library is not funded.

What happens if the library is not adequately funded? If, the library is funded below the levels required by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and/or is not able to obtain a waiver for certification:

Town residents will no longer be able to borrow materials from anywhere except Beaman Library.
Residents of West Boylston will be blocked at all other public libraries in the state, even if they possess a library card from another library!

If the library is forced to close because it is not able to be funded at a level in which it can operate:

Residents of West Boylston will be blocked at all public libraries in the state, even if they possess a library card from another library!
The town will be required to return over $1 million in funds which were received for the building renovation.
Property values for the town will drop. Who wants to live in a town that can't even support its public library?

If the library is funded at the level requested by the Library Trustees:

The library will still be required to apply for a waiver for certification. This would be the 5th out of 6 years that the library has had to apply for a waiver.
Each year the library applies for a waiver, it becomes more difficult to present the case that the library is not being unfairly targeted for cuts. Also, each year the library budget is cut, the gap between the allocated and recommended budget grows and becomes harder to overcome.

How much money are the Library Trustees asking for? For fiscal year 2010, the library submitted a budget figure of $282,276; this is 10% less than what was allocated in FY2009. The library has had its budget cut in 4 out of the last 5 years. Through these cuts, the library has absorbed the costs of rising utility bills, computer maintenance and replacement, increased material and supply costs and "step increases" for its staff. While the number of people using, borrowing, surfing and meeting at the library has increased, the library has had to do more for the public with less money and fewer employees. So, it is not without sacrifice that the library submits that budget request.

The library budget accounts for less than 1.57% of the town's municipal budget. The library has served the residents of West Boylston for 131 years and through the Great Depression. It is one of the most frugal of all town departments, a contributor to the quality of life in West Boylston and serves the entire population from babies to seniors. Please let your town officials know that the library deserves to be fostered and fully funded because its value is equally as important as other services provided by the town.

Here's what you can do...

2009-03-04T15:51:00.026-05:00

Attend the Annual Town Meeting on May 18, 7:00 p.m. at the High School. It is VITALLY IMPORTANT that library supporters attend this meeting to ensure that we are seen and heard.
Thank you for your continued support!

Yes, and here's why...

2009-03-04T08:52:00.003-05:00

Because MA public libraries have been "regionalized" for years, uou can borrow materials from any public library now because you live in a town with a certified library. If, however, the town you reside in does NOT have a certified library, or the library is closed (the ultimate in decertification), then the lending library is NOT required to lend materials to you. Your borrowing privileges are blocked based on your zip code. Even if you have a card from Worcester or Sterling, they will not lend materials to you. You will be able to use their facilities and read books IN their library, but not check them out. That is exactly why this is such a big deal!

Check out the Worcester Public Library Non-Resident Use Policy: below to confirm that this is all true:

As a participant in the State Aid to Public Libraries Program administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Worcester Public Library must comply with requirements regarding use of its collection that are specified in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 78, Section 19A B and further defined in the Code of Massachusetts Regulations
The Worcester Public Library extends reciprocal borrowing privileges to residents of the Commonwealth who reside in communities that offer state certified library services. It is the policy of the Worcester Public Library to discontinue borrowing privileges to residents of communities without certified public libraries and to discontinue interlibrary loans to such libraries, except when a library is not certified because of conditions beyond the community's control such as fire or natural disaster or other extenuating circumstances as determined by the Board of Directors. The Head Librarian will notify the Board annually of libraries that are not certified.

Some sample policies from other libraries are linked here.

Public libraries in MA which have lost or never had certification are shown here.

Yes, and here's how!

2009-03-01T17:21:00.000-05:00

Beaman Library already has an extensive volunteer army. Over the years, the library has had to cut back hours and personnel. The library has been able to continue to maintain services through those reductions with the help of volunteers. Volunteers are a vital and highly appreciated component of the library operations, but volunteers cannot do everything that needs to be done at the library and may or may not be available when they have other commitments beckon.

Volunteers (with training) can & do:
Unpack and inventory new materials
Enter new orders into purchasing database
Enter materials received into the C/WMARS database
Remove withdrawn materials from the C/WMARS database
Make copies/maintain bulletin board postings
Phone patrons who have materials to be picked up
Assist at the circulation desk
Assist with preparing materials for processing
Rotate books and magazines monthlyand rotate newspaper collection
Mark materials for withdrawl
Inventory materials
Do filing
Maintain logs of volunteer and program statistics
Assist with shelving returned materials
Enter programs into library website calendar program monthly
Fold newsletters
Participate in fundraising activities

Seek Professional Help...
As is true with almost every occupation, most people do not realize all that goes into providing library services "behind the desk." The staff at the library perform a variety of tasks for which they have been trained in addition to their ever present traditional library tasks. So, beside the staff or volunteer you see "at the desk", work is being done in the office that requires a level of responsibility, confidentiality, training and/or specific expertise beyond what is expected of a volunteer. Those tasks include:

The "Process"
Review publishing catalogs to select new materials
Add or create catalog MARC records for circulation systems
Process new materials prior to circulation
Oversee receipt and renewal of serial subscriptions
Assist patrons with our catalog and CWMARS catalog
Process "incoming" interlibrary loan materials received
Process "outgoing" interlibrary loan items requested
Prepare rotating special displays
"Weed" - withdraw materials

Administrative and Budgetary
Prepare requested budget figures, impact statements
Develop and implement the library's long range plan
Prepare statistics for required state/federal reports
Compile data and write annual reports
Prepare payroll
Track expenditures in spreadsheet
Prepare and submit bi-weekly warrants for expenditures
Maintain accounting records and balance sheets
Maintain office and building supplies
Arrange for scheduled building upkeep
Write or revise policies and procedures
Purchase and network new computers and/or printers
Maintain computers, server, databases, software
Apply for and administer grants
Schedule, supervise and evaluate personnel

Daily Operations and Customer Service
Be responsible for behavior and safety of patrons on 3 floors
Be responsible for maintenance of the building
Be responsible for opening and closing the building
Be expected to work nights and weekends
Maintain and edit library website
Prepare overdue notices and track lost materials
Assist patrons with historical photographic database and West Boylston Room materials research
Assist patrons with reference questions
Provide "reader's advisory"
Troubleshoot computers
Respond to reference request via phones, email, and in person
"Book" meeting rooms
Plan, promote and provide programs

Answers to Your Questions

2009-02-28T22:56:00.017-05:00

"What can I do to help?"

"Is it true that I will not be able to borrow items from other libraries if our library becomes decertified?

"Do people use our library?"

"Does the library use volunteers?"

"What are the requirements for certification?"

Towns trying to make things right

2009-02-28T20:56:00.002-05:00

Some towns have come up with "creative suggestions" to help retain their vital town services. Here are some links to those articles.

Towns Respond to Local Aid Cuts

North Andover Town Administrator saves library, senior & youth services

Webster Police give up holiday pay

Webster workers give up pay to save jobs

Franklin unions offer pay freezes

Or maybe not such good decisions:

Charlton employees refuse pay freeze

A quick lesson on "certification"

2009-02-24T21:01:00.012-05:00

The rules governing the certification of a public library are written in the MA General Laws. They are designed to ensure that communities allocate funds equitably among town departments and that public libraries equally serve all members of the public.

To be considered "certified". by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, a library must:

Be open to all residents of the Commonwealth and make no charge for normal library services.
Meet the Municipal Appropriations Requirement which states that each city or town must allocate an additional 2 1/2% more in funding each year for free public library services than it did on average in the prior 3 years.
Be open a minimum number of hours per week, based population. Beaman Library is required to be open a minimum of 25 hours, including some evening hours.
Allocate a minimum percentage of the library's total annual budget for books and periodicals, based on population. The requirement for Beaman Library is 19%.
Employ trained library personnel.
Lend books to other libraries in the Commonwealth.
File an annual report each year.

Absolutely!

2009-02-21T21:41:00.005-05:00

As a matter of fact, at the April 15th Select Board meeting, the Town Administrator outlined the process and results of a recently conducted analysis conducted by with 17 volunteer residents to assess the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to our community. This five hour session was being conducted as part of the WB town-wide planning process. The Beaman Library surfaced as one of the top 3 community strengths.

At this same meeting, six library advocates presented a petition signed by hundreds of residents in support of the Beaman Library, which remains zero-funded for FY2010.

Statistics from fiscal year 2008 indicate:

Beaman Library's budget is only 1.57% of the Municipal Budget.
52,093 people entered the library doors during FY2008.
West Boylston residents spent only $7.79 per person for materials for the library while checking out 9 items per person (on average).
Borrowers took home 69,822 items; that equates to every item in the library going out at least one time or about 50 items checked out every hour the library is open.
West Boylston residents borrowed 2,333 items from other libraries across the state and library staff sent out 2,017 items to other communities.
Librarians answered over 7,940 reference questions, in person, on the phone, and via email – a 55% increase over last year.
There were on average 75 uses of public Internet computers in the library each week.
Staff registered 454 more borrowers – an increase of 7%.
119 persons volunteered 1,650 hours of service to the library; that’s 17 more people who value the library enough to give of their time.
422 children and teens participated in the 2008 Summer Reading Program.

See how much your family saves by using the public library by using our Savings Calculator.