Sometimes I'm the Lady, Sometimes I'm her Dragon

Seshat was the Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Libraries. Who knew there was an Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Libraries??!

Yep. It hurt like hell but Jeremy McIntosh of Pygmalian Tattoo in Greenfield was as gentle as he could be in each of the 3 hours sittings December '16 and May '17.

Julian's son David asked me not to share this photo on the Friends of the Bower website.  My mom always said I was a trouble-maker so it's here on my blog. Julian approved it.  Join us this Sunday from 10am-6pm at Julian's Bower.

Hike, Writer's Retreat and Art Reception

Inspired by Nature Writing Mini-retreat and Art Reception

Sunday May 6, 2018 10-6pm

Julian's Bower in Shutesbury, MA

10-2pm stroll, write and share 

10am Leslie Bracebridge will lead a 1-2 hour hike

12pm bring a picnic lunch to the rock on the dam

12-2  quiet enjoyment of the bower

2 pm  Gather and share on Julian’s deck share, music, poetry,writing, art. Show video

3pm – 6pm cookies and lemonade, continuous Tours of Julian’s art

Ask me about my book 

 Whisky the Library and Me; The Library Misadventures of Belly dancing Bibliophile

WWLP Channel 22 Masslive tv appearance

Here's the link if you want to watch Belly dance: Learn this Middle Eastern expression that will get your whole body 'undulating' that was aired at noon on March 29, 2018

Hike, Writer's Retreat and Art Reception

Hike, Writer's Retreat and Art Reception Inspired by Nature Writing Mini-retreat and Art Reception10am for a 1-2 hour hike through the Bower led by naturalist, historian and former Shutesbury town clerk Leslie Bracebridge.   Sunday May 6, 2018  Julian's Bower in Shutesbury, MA  10-2pm stroll, write and share 3-6pm Art Reception Space is limited so please RSVP Donations to Friends of Julian's Bower or Kestrel Land Trust welcome

Hike Write Art Day at Julian's Bower

Will the third time be the Charm for the New Shutesbury Library?

Seshat Goddess of Libraries

Mirick Spear and I share a love of books and support of the library.

Mirick Spear- benefactor 

The need for more library space was identified by the Trustees and Library Director Lynda Pryblo in the 1995 library plan.

The MN Spear Memorial Library Building built for a population of three hundred in 1902 at a cost of $1547.61 now serves an active community more than four times the size. The library has no running water but offers access to high speed internet in a town where fewer than half the families had access in 2011. The library is charming but inadequate.

in 2001 the library building committee, in response to a small but vocal opposition withdrew their plan before town meeting could vote on it.

In 2004 land was purchased for municipal use and it was approved as a site for an eventual new library. 

In 2010 the plan for a new library received 89% support at town meeting. The town's agreement to pay their share of the grant got the required 2/3 at town meeting but the ballot vote required a majority and tie vote meant forfeiting the grant .

The current Library trustees believe it is prudent to wait until 2020, hoping for a third planning grant to begin the process all over again. I am not confident the current political climate looks good for the future of money to build new libraries.

In the May 2018 Our Town Newsletter, the Trustees share a vision of an eventual new library. They explain how they will go about it differently next time.

I am still sensitive and try to avoid the library discussion but feel like the trustees are apologizing for what volunteers did well. The new library plan had a majority of support until the last vote on funding. It was complicated and the final vote lost by one.  Reaching across the lines of disagreement with compassion is one of the lessons I learned in six hours of mediation with library opponent Sharon Raymond. Saying next time we will reach out more negates the good work of the volunteers. Reaching out to the pockets of community to improved communication was the first thing we did after talking to the previous building committee who said no matter what you do, there is a small group that is opposed to a new library.

 I hope the trustees can convince me that waiting at least another ten years to begin building a library is a good idea. I hope they can convince me they will not be limited in their vision by people like Bill Wells who suggested the library could be built underground so you wouldn't have to to see it. I hope they will actually read the library building program and learn from the experiences of the previous two planning committees.


 Headlines tell the story.

• Shutesbury Library expansion criticized Gazette April7-8, 2001
• Shutesbury puts library on hold Monday May 5, 2001Daily Hamp Gazette
• Library plans sweet reward- chocolate to lure public’s input Feb 9, 2007 Gfld Recorder
• Shutesbury Aims to jumpstart Friends group Gfld Recorder date?
• Shutesbury seeks volunteers for library facility panel The Recorder (Date?)
• 032 Deemed a fine site for Shutesbury Library Gazette 1/10/10
• Library in Wings? Forum 4/10 Gazette
• Shutesbury TM: Move ahead on a new library Gazette 5/3/10
• Shutesbury seeks state funding for a new library 2/5/11 Gazette
• Shutesbury officials submit aid request for new library project 2/8/11
• Big Step forward for Shutesbury Gazette 7/15/11
• Area libraries receive provisional state grants 7/15/12
• Area towns net 9.5 M for libraries 7/15/11 gazette
• Shutesbury takes first step in approving new library 10/26/11 Gazette
• Library override on ballot 11/11 Gazette
• Late Drive defeats Shutesbury Library ; Library rejected in Shutesbury 11/11/11 Gazette
• Shutesbury to hold second vote on library. Hearing draws 200-plus to speak for/against revote date?
• When  a library becomes a lighting rod: tensions are high in Shutesbury as a showdown looms 12/10/11
• Visit our library - Margo Culley letter to ed The Recorder 12/13/11
• Shutesbury library proponents, opponents busy campaigning before revote Gazette 1/6/12
• Consultant finds no contamination at planned Shutesbury library site 1/7/12 Gazette
• Library by Numbers Gazette1/9/12
• Tie vote on Shutesbury LibraryRecorder:1/11/12 Library Limbo Gazette 1/13/12
• Yes vote breaks tie on library: SHutesbury weighs possible recount Gazette 1/18/12
• Shutesbury library vote tied again: Shutesbury recount spells defeat for library Gazette 1/26/12
• Seizing opportunity in Shutesbury Gazette 12/23/11
• The longest election 1/28/12 Gazette editorial
• Embattled Shutesbury library project forges on Gazette 1/31/12
• Shutesbury Library supporters sue town over Jan 25 recount Gazette 2/4-5/12
• State extends Shutesbury grant deadline Gazette 2/3/12
• Shutesbury library doesn’t have votes The Recorder 5/4/12
• Shutesbury Fails to break the tie: Montague Reporter 5/17/12
• Shutesbury library video gets international attention: Celebrities tweeting about it, donations come in from around the world Gazette 3/10/12
• Sides argue Shutesbury voter status 4/24/12
• Shutesbury Library supporters appeal Recorder 5/12/12Shutesbury Library: One more round Recorder 6/14/12
• Library Shelved Gazette June 30-July 1 2012

Lura Berry (1866-1959) reading from Lund report on Shutesbury

Letter to MBLC requesting extension 1/13/12

Karen Traub, Chair, Library Trustees

January 13, 2012

Robert Maier, Director  Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

98 North Washington Street  Suite 401

Boston, Massachusetts 02114

Dear Mr. Maier,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the M.N. Spear Memorial Library, I respectfully request to be placed on the agenda for the Board of Library Commissioners meeting on February 2, 2012, with the intention of asking the commissioners for additional time to confirm local funding for our library construction project.

On October 25th, 2011, the Town of Shutesbury had a special town meeting and a warrant article to appropriate the funds needed to confirm local funding was approved by exactly the two-thirds majority required. On November 8, 2011, a referendum to approve a debt-exclusion override failed by a very small margin. A second referendum election for the debt-exclusion override was held on January 10, 2012. The result of that election has not yet been determined. The results were 522 yes votes, 522 no votes, and one provisional ballot that has not yet been confirmed. Eight ballots have been challenged.

Prior to the January 10th election, significant fundraising effort was underway. More than $170,000 has already been raised in donations and pledges. Most of these donations and pledges have been raised in the past six months. On January 11, 2012, a 1:1 challenge gift of $150,000 was offered to Shutesbury for the construction of a new library as described in our application for the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program.

The one-room, 900 square foot, M.N. Spear Memorial Library is 110 years old. It lacks access to water. Despite the tiny size, it is very well used. In FY 10, our circulation was the fourth highest in the state for towns in our population group (under 2,000).

Currently there is not an official outcome to the election. Community support and volunteer energy are high. Donations and pledges, including the very generous challenge gift, continue to arrive. We are very encouraged by the possibility of raising a substantial amount of money in the next few months.

We respectfully request an extension of the deadline to confirm local funding until June 30, 2012.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Karen Traub, Chair

Trustees of the Spear Library

Ballad of Sadie Grover