Over 100 Massachusetts library supporters attended a public hearing on library funding. The large meeting room at Worcester Public Library was full when Em Claire Knowles, Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners opened the meeting on October 4th. Rob Maier, MBLC Director, began the hearing by saying that the Patrick/Murray administration asked all agencies to conduct budget hearings this year as part of their commitment to open the processes of state government to the public.
Dozens of attendees rose to the podium to make a case for libraries at the two-hour hearing. Supporters from public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries, law libraries, automated networks and MassCat, and regional library systems called for additional funding for libraries.
All of the 183 written testimonies and the Executive Summary have been compiled and presented to Governor Patrick, Lt. Governor Murray, and the Secretary of Administration and Finance. This document provides evidence of the need for state funded library services and plainly makes the case for why new funding is needed now. See the MBLC site for a press release, an executive summary, and 10 highlighted testimonies (including three individuals from the Northeast Region: Boxford, Haverhill, and Wakefield): http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/2007/nr071026.php.
Some of the attendees from Northeast Massachusetts (l-r) Ellen Rainville, JV Fletcher Library (Westford), Krista McLeod, Nevins Memorial Library (Methuen), Ron Gagnon, NOBLE, and Adele Carter, Flint
Public Library (Middleton)
Susan Katzenstein, Haverhill Public Library, testified during the hearing. See her written testimony at: http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/legislative/updates/09_budgetHearing.php
Part of the crowd at Worcester Public Library for the hearing
