MLA Library Legislative Day - April 5, 2006 at the State House

Librarians and library supporters from communities around the Commonwealth are invited to visit their legislators at the State House on April 5, 2006 to explain the budgetary needs for libraries and library programs for the upcoming year on the Massachusetts Library Association's Ways & Means Day.

Registration begins at 9:30 am in the Great Hall. Legislative Briefings are scheduled for 10:00 and 11:00 am in room 222. Presentations and lunch will be held in the Great Hall at noon. NMRLS will coordinate car pooling and mentors for members who are new to legislative advocacy. Please send me a note if you are interested in carpooling or would like a mentor to provide some insight into meeting your legislator - greg@nmrls.org.

This event is held in conjunction with the Massachusetts Center for the Book's Letters about Literature Awards. These awards will be presented in the Great Hall at 10:00 am.

Northeast Library Legislative Breakfast

Many thanks go to the presenters, the planners (NMRLS Legislative Education Committee www.nmrls.org/about/committee.shtml#leg), the Chelmsford Public Library which hosted our March 3rd Library Legislative Breakfast, the dozen legislators and aides, and to over 100 library supporters who joined us early on Friday morning, March 3rd.

Our theme was "Good Things come in Threes" to recognize the three year timeline in the MBLC legislative agenda for restoring funding to 2002 funding levels.

Presenters addressed library services and the ongoing need for library funding that supports these vital services to communities in our region:

Ellen Rainville, J. V. Fletcher Library (Westford)
Becky Herrmann, Chelmsford Public Library
Bernard Lynch, Chelmsford Town Manager
Madeline Needles, Patron Chelmsford Public Library
Elia Marnik, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Senator Susan Fargo
Representative Thomas Golden

Passing your Override

NMRLS, the Metrowest Massachusetts Regional Library System, and the MLA Legislative Committee sponsored a presentation and discussion on passing overrides on February 23rd at the Reading Public Library. Greg Shesko, Chair of the Trustees at the Needham Public Library, and recipient of the 2005 "Outstanding Trustee" award from the Massachusetts Library Trustees Association, made a presentation on the override and debt exclusion campaigns at his library. Susan Schwarz, Director of the Dracut Public Library, described her library closing and a recent, successful partnership with the Police Department on an override campaign.