Notes from Williamsburg and Westhampton projects

Lyn Keating Director-Westhampton moving library across the street. Town refused the MBLC grant, (got 60% but not 2/3) so a splinter group of the friends raised $600,000 and they are moving forward. The Trustees withdrew support.  An anonymous donor gave $150,000.

Lisa Wenner Williiamsburg

Think about building your connections.

Street Lists by street or name.

Got an elevator at cost by asking.  Got circulation desk .  Palmer has a nice one.  Carl a wookworker made it.  Free development advice from a retired volunteer.  They raised 2million dollars.  Love your library and community and understand the connection between them.

New England school of architectural woodworking  MeCeckney’s in Springfield office supplies-used.

Patio   Stone wall built by a retired UMASS professor

Somebody and associates made a mistake on the grade of the sidewalk so it was not handicap accessible.  The volunteer built a brick walk that solved the problem.

Plants were donated , Nick built a beautiful brick patio.  Friends made 25,000 by selling engraved bricks for the patio.

Read around the Clock.  A litlle house was set up and people read 24 hours a day.  Put a doll in the window at night.  Got pledges from releatives all over the country.  Made $25,000 with this.

Got an alumni list from the High School and raised $14,000.  Got a $5000 check from Hawaii.

Cultural Council can have an event that you charge money for.  Had a dinner and gift baskets.  Ann Turner author.  It was a lot of work and raised $5000.

2 people with family foundations that gave $5000 two years.

Someone in town had experience writing grants for the National Endowment for the Humanities.  They knew to ask for money for an endowment. Lots of programming supported their grant.  They give away a few bricks and mortar grants, mostly to large libraries but they give a few to small libraries.  They get the money for saying “we are really cool”  They got $85,000!!!  You are not selling bricks and mortar, you are selling the services inside the library that they will get.

The friends bought the  house next door, tore it down and gave the land to the library.

Michael Rosenfeld, Williamsburg’s wonderful architect.

Williamsburg does not have enough room after 5 years because of becoming a full member of CWMARS.

Perma-mark of Maine, you send the marking.  They put in plain bricks and then replace them as there were donations.

Historic commission can help but lots of paperwork.

Named not only rooms but areas in rooms after donors.

Anne Larsen says DO NOT SAY IN PUBLIC ANY COST OR SIZE ESTIMATES

New Shutesbury Library in my mind

“Shutesbury residents have indicated that they like the friendly, welcoming atmosphere at the current library facility. As we move toward the future, LFNAC members recommend that the library maintains its small town atmosphere, while serving our growing population of active library users with a high quality library. LFNAC members continue to encourage suggestions from residents. Some strongly expressed ideas suggested the library should:

a. Be located in the town center (85.7% said very or somewhat important)b.Serve as a community center, strengthening community in Shutesbury.c. Offer more activities at the library.d.Be visible to the community.e. Be an architectural enhancement to the town.f.  Be built with planning for the future in mind and that it last a long time.g.Honor the town’ s history.h.Reflect current thinking about ecology – i.e. have a southern exposure, be a “green” building, possibly include photovoltaic cells for electricity, and/or use solar or geothermal heating.i.  Reflect the cultures represented in the community.j.  Be a place that provides educational opportunities for the community.k.Include a café or community center where residents can gather and socialize. 

"Patrons would prefer a larger overall space that could include community rooms that could be used for classes or groups (for example, a knitting group, the library book group, yoga classes, etc.) Any expansion of the library must match the unique character of Shutesbury, respect the town and library history, reflect the needs of the residents, and be mindful of the budgetary limitations of a small town."  (library building program 2009)

Driving through the farmlands of Hadley one late afternoon in August as the sun was blazing through the open slats of a tobacco barn I was reminded how the light of knowledge lights up a library and the people within.  For a split second I imagined a library that captured the essence of this icon of local ingenuity and industry and was reminded of an article I read in 2010 during the design phase of planning for the new library.

"Barns and agricultural buildings help tell the Massachusetts story over the last several hundred years. From carriage barns in city or town centers, tobacco barns in the Connecticut River valley, cranberry screen houses on the Cape, to dairy barns across the state, they help us read the landscape and connect us to the life and work of our communities through the generations. Most barns, especially those of timber frame construction, are well-built and have open floor plans that make them useful today for farming or for a wide variety of new uses. Yet, barns are disappearing at a rapid rate from the landscape. With some planning, patience, and creativity, older and historic barns can continue to serve their original function or be put back to use."http://preservationmass.org/programs/mass-barns/

More important to me than what it looked like was being able to dream of a new library again.

I want a library with a flush toilet; room to read a newspaper, space to learn and be inspired, maybe take a class, visit with neighbors on the welcoming front porch. I imagine a sunny local history room where I can connect to the past and check my email. I see children playing and people on bikes safely arriving along the tree-lined main street alley, crossing the bridge over the rain garden, strolling through the memorial garden and enjoying nature along the cranberry strewn trails. The library in my mind is a model of sustainability and cooperation, built together in harmony with the natural world, a community center that brings us together and lifts us up.

I have volunteered many hours and feel I am done with meetings in the cold, damp basement of town hall. I don’t have time to waste trying to convince people to look to the future or feeling defeated when they don't give a damn about others. I will not be on the committee that builds the new library but by Grabthar’s hammer I will do everything in my power that is legal and mostly moral to see that the new Shutesbury library comes to fruition in my lifetime.

Letter from the Trustee Chair 2012

The Ideal Shutesbury Library

From the Library Building Program:

The Ideal Shutesbury Library

“Shutesbury residents have indicated that they like the friendly, welcoming atmosphere at the current library facility. As we move toward the future, LFNAC members recommend that the library maintains its small town atmosphere, while serving our growing population of active library users with a high quality library. LFNAC members continue to encourage suggestions from residents. Some strongly expressed ideas suggested the library should:

a. Be located in the town center (85.7% said very or somewhat important)

b.Serve as a community center, strengthening community in Shutesbury.

c. Offer more activities at the library.

d.Be visible to the community.

e. Be an architectural enhancement to the town.

f.  Be built with planning for the future in mind and that it last a long time.

g.Honor the town’ s history.

h.Reflect current thinking about ecology – i.e. have a southern exposure, be a “green” building, possibly include photovoltaic cells for electricity, and/or use solar or geothermal heating.

i.  Reflect the cultures represented in the community.

j.  Be a place that provides educational opportunities for the community.

k.Include a café or community center where residents can gather and socialize.

Patrons would prefer a larger overall space that could include community rooms that could be used for classes or groups (for example, a knitting group, the library book group, yoga classes, etc.) Any expansion of the library must match the unique character of Shutesbury, respect the town and library history, reflect the needs of the residents, and be mindful of the budgetary limitations of a small town. (library building program 2009)

We are willing to work for a shared vision of a future library.

May 8, 2013

Dear Shutesbury Friends and Neighbors,

In light of the extraordinary course of events surrounding the proposal for a new Shutesbury Library, we- Karen Traub-New Library Enthusiast, and Sharon Raymond-a resident who was opposed to the construction of the proposed library - have met twice with Greenfield mediator Karen Fogliatti as part of our commitment to rebuild connections, to understand each other's perspectives and to try to be the peace we want to see in the world. We agree that our 6 hours of discussion brought us an increase in our understanding and compassion. This letter is a summary of points of agreement and an invitation to others who may also benefit from a mediated discussion.

We agree that:

1.     Both sides experienced passion and intense emotions around the proposed library; we acknowledge the deep feelings of hurt on both sides.

2.     We hold a shared vision of Shutesbury as a “21st century community with some ‘old fashioned small town warmth” and acknowledge a sense of “us vs them” that we would like to see replaced by the kind of cooperation demonstrated during our 250th anniversary celebration.

3.     For the future of our town we share the values of

·       frugality and simplicity

·       concern for the well-being of the environment including making full use of existing resources and using local labor and materials when possible

·       inclusiveness in the decision-making process with continued outreach

·       preservation of our common heritage

·       events that nurture community such as gatherings and celebrations spiritual, intellectual, recreational and educational pursuits

4.     We acknowledge the volunteer hours that went into planning for a new library and we agree that the knowledge gained through the preparation of the grant proposal and the Library Building Program will be a valued contribution to discussions of a future library.

5.     We are willing to work for a shared vision of a future library.

If you are interested in participating in a future mediated discussion or making a donation toward mediation please contact Sharon or Karen. 

Respectfully and with hope,

Karen Traub karentraub@hotmail.com 367-9826

Sharon Raymond- sharon@simpleshoemaking.com 259-1748