COALITION
FOR CHILDREN'S LIBRARY HOURS
March
11, 2001
Mayor Michael Albano
36 Florentine Gardens
Springfield MA 01108
Dear Mayor Albano,
Enclosed
are petitions, signed by over 250 Springfield residents, urging you and your
colleagues to charge the Springfield Library and Museums Association with
improving hours and maintenance at the Forest Park Branch Library.
We
note with appreciation the repairs made to doors, walls and ceilings since our
march was announced, particularly since Representative Rivera's visit to the
library on March 2. Work remains to be
done on steps to the children's room and in collection of leaves, trash and
tree branches around the outside of the building. And, of course, we are eager to see the library open for more
after school and Saturday study hours for our kids.
It
strikes us that having to involve a state representative (to say nothing
of Congressman Neal) in getting routine
maintenance done at a branch library is a sign that the relationship between
the City and the Springfield Library and Museums is not all it should be. Were there a contract between the City and
the Association, the expectation that the City allocation would cover branch
library upkeep and repairs could be spelled out in as much detail as is
required to get the job done without petitions, marches, phone calls and the
media.
Everyone
who signed our petition, saw coverage of the problems at Forest Park, or
received our mailings has had his or her consciousness raised as to the
one-sided relationship between the City and the Association. We hope that you and the other officials who
receive this petition will use this awareness and our activities to correct
this lop-sided relationship.
Our
keen interest in this matter will continue throughout the budget and municipal
election cycles. We would be very
grateful for your support.
Sincerely,
Sheila
McElwaine
cc: Coalition
members
Forest Park Civic Association
Representative
Cheryl Rivera