Much to the dismay of the Mayor’s Office and BPL Trustees, a group of State Representatives from Boston, including our local 3rd Suffolk District Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, have co-sponsored three amendments in the State budget that would force the City of Boston to keep all the branch libraries open in order to receive $3 million in State funding. While the North End and West End branches survived the City’s proposed budget cuts, four branch libraries remain at risk of closing. (See BPL Trustees Vote to Close 4 Branches; North End/West End Stay Open).
Note: The 12 State Representatives are: Reps. Forry, Moran, Basile, Wallace, Allen, Fox, Honan, Malia, Michlewitz, Rushing, Sanchez and Walz.
Press Release:
Boston State Representatives Mobilize to Save Local Libraries
Twelve State Representatives from the Boston delegation in the Massachusetts State House co-sponsored three amendments that seek to keep all Boston Public Library (BPL) branches open.
“The Trustees of the Boston Public Library and the Mayor of Boston have made clear their budget priorities,” Representative Michael Moran said. “Today, as a united group of legislators from neighborhoods throughout Boston, we are standing together and clearly stating that our priorities are to keep every branch library open.”
The BPL receives over $3 million worth of funding via three separate line items in the state budget. The amendments filed today would add additional language onto each line item, making their allocation contingent upon all 26 local branches remaining open in 2011.
“We had hoped that the Board of Trustees would do the right thing by keeping each branch open,” Representative Carlo Basile said. “Today we are taking steps to make sure that the right thing for our neighborhoods does happen.”
The Friends of the North End Branch Library have received a tremendous amount of books for their upcoming book sale. They heartily thank the community for their support. Instead of more books, they are seeking volunteers to help work the sale. They will need help on Friday, May 21st in the afternoon setting up and Read More…
Here are upcoming events at the North End Branch Library: More at the Library Event Calendar – North End
Too bad the Library neglected to ADVERTISE the event.
I'm sorry you missed the Holiday Party. Actually we did announce it – a large window size poster has hung in the library window for over a month, it's been on the calendar on this website for over a month and on the BPL website, it's been in the neighborhood newspapers for several weeks, and flyers have been posted in local NE businesses and at the Nazzaro Center. The goal of the Friends is to offer a program in coordination with the NE Branch that is free to all our neighbors and helps to celebrate the season. Hope you can join us next year.