Open Our Libraries Page

Forest Park
Branch Library
(closed)
owned by the SLMA

Liberty Heights
Branch Library
(closed)
owned by the SLMA

East Springfield
Branch Library
(closed)
owned by the SLMA

Indian Orchard
Branch Library

owned by the SLMA

East Forest Park
Branch Library

leased to the SLMA

Pine Point
Branch Library

owned by the City

Mason Square
Branch Library
(sale pending)
owned by the SLMA

Brightwood
Branch Library

owned by the City

Sixteen Acres
Branch Library

owned by the City

Open Our Libraries Information

Email us your comments. We will post them here (Due to space limitations, they may be edited)

Special Items of Interest

Photos of the Forest Park Branch
Re-Opening

November 8, 2003

1997
Springfield Public Branch Libraries Facilities Report

City Council Library Study Committee
Final Report,
Voted on and Approved by the Committee
Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Board of Massachusetts Library Commissioners Documents that Relate to Funding from the State

Sale of the Mason Square Library to the Urban League has been Put on Hold for Two Weeks
(6/03/03)

Purchase and Sale Agreement between the SLMA and the Urban League
for The Mason Square Library Building

(downloadable MSword document)

FY 2004 Springfield Library Budget Material
Presented at the City Council Subcommittee
Thursday, June 5, 2003

Letters to and from Henry Thomas III on the Urban League's potential purchase of the Mason Square branch Library Building
(6/06/03)

Interview with Reggie Wilson,
20 year veteran
Reference Librarian at the Central Library
& former Supervisor
Mason Square Library
(5/11/03)

Current Issues

Mayor Ryan's April 7, 2005 press conference on the legal action that the City is taking on the Mason Square branch library issue and the illegal sale of the Edward S. Curtis photographs by the SMA.

Audio File of the Press Conference
(12mb mp3 file)

Written Transcript

Maureen Turner of the Advocate has written two excellent articles on the issues, which are available online.
See You in Court and Access Denied.

Transcript of the State Architectural Board Hearing Available

Re: Springfield Quadrangle, March 14, 2005

pdf format

html format

Portion of Mayor Ryan's Inaugural Address
Devoted to the Central Library Issue

(01/05/04

Letter from Mayor-Elect Charles V. Ryan to Patricia Kish

(12/24/03)

Letter to David A. Shrair,
attorney for the SMA
from Patrica Kish,
Director, Project Planning Design and Development, Division
of State Parks and Recreation.
(pdf)

(12/11/03)

Library Commission

Library Commission Policy Committee
Internet Policy

Library 04 Budget Report

Meeting Summaries

Meeting Calendar

New Library Commissioners
Appointed

Updates

Library Updates
by Sheila McElwaine

City Council Votes Unanimously to establish a Library Department

City Council voted 5 to 4 to Cut
$500,000 from the City Library Budget

The Deal has been struck

City Council approves first step in establishing a city library department

Mayor and the SLMA agree in principle to the City Taking over the Central Library and its Nine Branches

Letters and Comments

Comments Received on the Closing
of the Springfield Library Branches and the Sale of the Mason Square library
(updated 6/05/03)

Comments by Reggie Wilson, a 20 year veteran Reference Librarian at the Central Library and former Supervisor of Mason Square Library

Letters on the subject of the
Sale of the Mason Square Library
(updated 6/09/03)

Erica Walch's Letter to the Editor of
The Republican

Laurel Rancetelli
Letter To the Editor

Maureen Posner's Letter to the Union News, Feb 21, 2003

Letter to the Editor of the Union News

Library Study Committee Related

Members of Library Study Committee

Minutes of the Library Study Committee

Volunteer Survey Form

Interim Report of the
City Council Library Study Committe

Documents discussed at the
April 23rd Meeting
of the City Council Library Study Committee

Notes on Meetings
with the SLMA Advisory Board
on the topic of the Branch Library Closings

Review of a walk-thru of Forest Park, East Springfield and Liberty Branches

City Council
Library Related Activites

Resolve Presented Before
and Unanimously Passed by the
City Council, Monday March 10th
to order a study of the feasibility
of the City Operating the Libaries

Mason Square Branch Library Resolve voted on and passed at the May 5th City Council Meeting

Proposed Ordinance
to Create a Springfield Library Department
(Passed 1st Step at the
May 5th City Council Meeting)

May 5th Letter to City Council from
Cheryl Rivera, Esq
State Representative, 10th Hampton District

Public Meetings and Related

Article on the February 18th FPCA Library Meeting
at Forest Park Middle School

Article on the February 20th Meeting of the City Council's Planning and Economic Development Committee

Data

FY 2004 Springfield Library Budget Material
Presented at the City Council Subcommittee
Thursday, June 5, 2003

SLMA Fiscal Year 2000 Budget
in web format

SLMA Budget in downloadable format (MS Excel spreadsheet)

Library Costs by Facility

Questions to Consider on
the. Administration of the Springfield Library
and Museums and Fundraising

Comparison of Cambridge Library and Springield library System

Charts and Graphs
on Library Usage, Distance to the Library
and other Interesting Statistical Analysis

Link to Massachusetts Public Library Trustees Handbook

Springfield Library System Data Analysis

Historical Commission/Preservation Items

Mass Historical Commission:
"Form B" on
The Liberty Heights Library

Mass Historical Commission:
"Form B" on
The Forest Park Library

Newspaper/Magazine Articles

Article on the closing of the libraries entitled:
Springfield, Mass., Outraged over Sudden Closure of
Three Branches

PDF Files and Media Files

Listen to an mp3 audio file (8 megs)
of the statements made by City Auditor, Anthony Basile and then Mayor-elect Charles V. Ryan on December 15th to the City Council on the plan by the SMA to take the Central Library.

Flyer Announcing the
Reopening of the Forest Park Library

Flyer for the Sept 9th
Library Commission
Meeting

HELP CARE FOR FOREST PARK'S LIBRARY
CELEBRATE ITS FALL RE-OPENING!
Flyer

Purchase and Sale Agreement between the SLMA
and the Urban League
for The Mason Square Library Building