help us make sure that the City Councilors
Pass this Important Resolve.
CITY OF
In the City Council
Whereas, the
City of
Whereas, a
functioning public library system with neighborhood branches is a precondition
to such further education and lifelong learning; and
Whereas, the
City of
Whereas, some
of the policies of the Springfield Libraries and Museums Association
("SLMA") with reference to the libraries have been the cause for
concern in and among the citizens of the City of Springfield; and
Whereas, in
1995 the SLMA announced the closing of three branch libraries due to an
expected reduction in its funding; and
Whereas, that
closure was thereafter rescinded due in large part to opposition from the
affected communities; and
Whereas, since
1995 to date there has been an ongoing call by the citizens of
Whereas, the
City of
Whereas, the
SLMA recently announced the permanent closing of three branch libraries - East
Springfield, Liberty Street and Forest Park; and
Whereas the
SLMA made this decision without any input from the City or its citizens;and
Whereas, the
SLMA has indicated that it will be quickly seeking proposals for the re-use of
these facilities and that it will be emptying the buildings of their contents
and disconnecting the buildings from the library computer system and other
computer links; and
Whereas, Joseph
Carvalho, the President of SLMA, recently stated that SLMA would not stand in
the way if the City of
Now, Therefore, BE IT
ORDERED
1. That
the SLMA immediately halt any and all work to empty and remove the contents of
the East Springfield, Liberty Street and Forest Park Branch libraries and to
refrain from disconnecting
all computer and communications links until such time as the SLMA has gone
through a public process regarding the re-use and transfer of these buildings
and the City Council has had a reasonable opportunity to react to the report of
the Study Committee hereinafter referred to.
2. That
the City of Springfield, by and through its Neighborhood Councils and Civic
Associations shall undertake a feasibility study to assess and determine the
feasibility of having the City of Springfield directly assume the control and
operation of the City Library System. Every neighborhood council and civic
association shall have the right to nominate one individual to serve as a
member of said study committee by submitting the name of each said nominee to
the City Clerk by April l, 2003.
3. The Study Committee
shall select from its members a chairperson and adopt such rules as are
reasonable. The Study Committee shall be assisted as necessary by the City
Auditor, the City Law Department, the SLMA, its trustees, officers and staff.
The City Council expects that the SLMA will facilitate and assist the Study
Committee and will not frustrate said committee in its fact finding. Such
cooperation and assistance will include (a) complete disclosure by the SLMA of
its records, financial and otherwise and (b) responses by trustees, officers or
senior staff to questions posed by the committee in connection with the
carrying out of its duties.
4. The Study Committee
will render a report to the City Council no later than
5. The Study Committee is expressly charged to
explore the following:
a. The
feasibility and viability of continuing the operations of the City Library
System under the SLMA, or in the alternative under the City of
b. To determine the source of all funds received by the SLMA, and to
the extent it is possible determine whether or not the payer of such funds
intended them to be spent for library purposes on the one hand or museum
purposes on the other.
c. To ascertain all expenses paid by the SLMA for each of the last
three fiscal years of that organization and to delineate to the extent it is
possible which expenses were for the libraries and which were for the museums.
d. The ability of the City of
e. The ability of a City Library System to
adopt as a volunteer model the Ranger Program of the Springfield Park
Department in an effort to increase the City's ability to offer more library
hours.