Coalition for Children’s Library Hours

More library hours needed

Please join us !

On May 7th, at the 7:00 pm speak-out, the "Coalition for Children's Library Hours" presented to the city council the wording for an Initiative Petition they would like to have put on the November election ballot. 

If the city council does not act on this, we will formally announce a petition drive at the PVP action at Old First Church Court Square on June 4th at 6:00 pm.

Initiative Petition

If you want to help us to open our libraries, you can download a copy of the instructions and the petition. 


Please read the instructions carefully. If you would rather pick-up a petition or have petition sheets dropped off to you, contact one of the coalition members. 
Citizens Action NEtwork: 796-4924, PVP: 827-0781 or Forest Park Library Group: 788-8988 

Petition Instructions
Petition Sheet - Side 1
Petition Sheet - Side 2

The issue:   Expanding hours at branch libraries during the school year to support children's learning. 

SLMA Fundraising Expenses for 1 year / year ending 6/30/2000

SLMA Special Events for 1 year / year ending 6/30/2000

Library Chart
Library hours broken down showing what we have and what is needed.

Mailing sent to the corporators 
Requesting their help in improving library hours.
Letter sent from the SLMA to the corporators 
This was in answer to the “mailing to the corporators” above.


               What we are asking for?

The library branches should be open every Saturday as well as from 3:00 -- 8:00 Mon – Thurs evenings during the school year.  Three libraries still need full time Saturday hours and two others need to add ½ day . We also need 14 evenings per week added.

Extending library hours should not be tied to renovations. The renovations will take years and there is no reason that the hours should not be expanded now. Although some of the libraries are in dire need of upgrading, they are still used and serve their purpose.

As of the year 2000, Springfield has 1 Main Library (Central Library) and nine neighborhood branches. They are open a total of 340 hours per week.

Library

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

Total Hours

Central

9 - 4

10 - 8

10 - 8

10 - 8

10 - 8

12 - 5

9 - 5

57

Brightwood

C

9 - 8

9 - 8

9 - 5

9 - 8

9 - 5

C

49

Mason Square

C

9 - 5

C

9 - 8

12 - 8

9 - 5

12 - 5

40

Sixteen Acres

C

3 - 8

12 - 8

12 - 5

9 - 8

C

9 - 5

37

Pine Point

C

12 - 8

12 - 5

12 - 8

C

9 – 5

12 – 5

34

Forest Park

C

12 - 8

C

9 - 8

C

9 – 5

C

27

E. Springfield

C

12 - 8

C

12 - 8

C

9 – 5

C

24

E. Forest Park

C

C

12 - 8

C

12 - 8

C

9 - 5

24

Indian Orchard

C

C

12 - 8

C

12 - 8

C

9 - 5

24

Liberty

C

C

12 - 8

C

12 - 8

C

9 - 5

24


You can help

The SLMA has added some new hours but not close to what is needed.

Write or call the SLMA director and trustees with your concerns that the hours have not been increased enough and ask why we do not have specifics.  We don’t want anyone’s say so, we want facts.

Give the corporators that are speaking up for increased hours a thank you and ask the corporators that will not stand up for this cause why.

Write letters to the editor of any paper that would reach the Springfield audience.


The Springfield Public Libraries are owned and operated by the The Springfield Library and Museum Association (SLMA). The SLMA is a private non-profit organization and as such is not subject to the same rules and regulations as a public organization.

The majority of the funding the SLMA receives are our tax dollars. The City of Springfield provided over $7 Million, the School Committee budgets an additional $1 Million and the state also provides tax dollars. The SLMA is also the recipient of generous donations from the public.

It is time for the public to get involved. There is no reason for our city libraries to be closed for so many hours. The people in charge of the SLMA have not been able to or refuse to answer our questions.

We would like a public forum to get answers to our questions and so far have not been able to get our elected representatives put a forum together.

Why?

Why aren't our libraries open full time?
Where and how is the money spent?
Where is the accountability?
How much funding does the SLMA receive?
Are the funds being used in the most cost effective way?
Who chooses the trustees?
Who makes the decisions?

To request a copy of The Springfield Library and Museum Association's Form 990 and their annual report, call 263-6800.

 

 ·  To Have and Have Not  -  How a battle over branch libraries gets to the root of Springfield's power politics by Maureen Turner.

At the Springfield City Council meeting on June 5th , a unanimous vote was cast for a non-binding resolution urging the library association to use the $110,000 they received for more library hours. In November 1999, the state allocated the money for the purpose of increasing library hours. As of yet, the hours have still not been increased.  

·  March for the Forest Park Branch was held Sunday, March 11th

·  Rally for more hours was held Wednesday, September 27th
A rally for more library hours will be held at the Quadrangle.

·  The PVP held a rally on June 5th to support opening our libraries full time


Coalition for Children’s Library Hours includes :

 Pioneer Valley Project,
 Citizens Action NEtwork
 Forest Park Library Action Group

Send Comments or Questions to: CANE at canegroup@netzero.net
or Bob or Karen Powell at bkpowell@geocities.com
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