Annual Reports

Annual reports for the Library, published as part of the Town's Annual Report.

2008 Annual Report

The Gleason Public Library respectfully submits the 2008 Annual Report to the people of Carlisle. In 2008 the collections, programs, and facilities saw increased use, despite cuts in hours and services due to budget constraints. Support of the library through volunteer efforts in programming, shelving, landscaping, and advisory roles grew, enabling the library to maintain and grow its important role in the community.

Communicating the many resources offered by the Gleason Public Library continues to be a major goal in the Library. The e-newsletter , along with the website www.gleasonlibrary.org, provided through the Friends, have become the primary sources for information about upcoming programs, highlighting collections, and current activities in the budget, building, and staff. Concurrently, the Library has made great efforts to find ways to reduce costs in utilities and in use of supplies, such as printing. Thanks to these efforts, the Library has seen reduction in expenditures that we hope will continue.

Facilitating lifelong learning is a major component of the mission of the Gleason Public Library. In cooperation with community groups, volunteers, and through the work of library staff, the Library offered a solid program schedule across demographic groups in 2008.

Programs for all audiences included: Selections from Herbert Wendell Gleason's Slide Lecture, "Thoreau's Country," from the William Munroe Special Collections of the Concord Free Public Library with curator Leslie Perrin Wilson, the monthly Writers Group, monthly Travel Time hosted by Charlie Allman, and author Jeff Talarigo. The Friends of the Gleason Public Library and Friends of the Council on Aging (COA) continued to cosponsor afternoon lectures, including Eliot Lilien for Brahms and a special World War I poster series, John Tischio with the First Broadway - Opera, Gary Hylander with an American Justice Series and special electoral college discussion. Building on this success, the COA and Library cosponsored additional programs, including Having a Senior Moment with Miranda Hiebel, Five Wishes, and a Pre-Retirement Series, which included Tips for Downsizing, Life Planning, Financial Planning, Retirement and Income Planning.

In March, the Library offered a month-long program highlighting immigration called, "Coming to America" in concert with the Concord Public Library, including folk tales for children, folk music, displays, a food fair, talk on immigration from the British colonies, and a special discussion with Roy Watson on immigration policy and how it can affect Carlisle.

Parenting programming offered in 2008 included a preschool panel facilitated by Sally Quinn Reed, Lisa Sjostrom on Bullying, a Parent Forum on Autism Spectrum, the “You Can't Make Me” behavior discussion, Exploring Parenting Through Poetry, and award-winning author Nancy Garden. Programs on bullying and behavior were planned in concert with the Center for Parents and Teachers and were supported by the grant from the Manton Foundation.

Building upon community-responsive librarianship developed by Libraries for the Future, the Library partnered with the Livable Carlisle group to support community-building discussions and collaborated with local groups to offer more targeted programming for adults. Some of this programming was funded through the Equal Access grant awarded and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Through this grant program, Martha Patten devoted time to expanding the use of the library website, assessing the services the Library provides to adults, and building a how-to program series highlighting local experts. The h ow-to series included poetry with Patti Russo, birdwatching with the Brownriggs in concert with the Carlisle Land Stewardship Committee, preserving family memories, and fitness with Shirley Lynch Scarlett.

Shelagh Tomaino offered four computer-training workshops, including basic Internet and library catalog use and more advanced use of the Library research databases. All reference staff provided one-on-one training on an as-needed basis.

A highlight in 2008 was the renovation of the teen area and growth of the teen advisory group, led by Erica Wing. Benefiting from an Equal Access grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, a private grant from the Manton Foundation, and Library Endowment support, the teen area was updated with reconfigured and additional shelving, new age-appropriate seating and tables, celebrating with an opening in November 2008. Most notably, the Teens of Gleason Advisory group (TOGA) has become an active group of organizers, meeting monthly, helping the teen librarian make informed decisions about programs and collections. Special events for teens in 2008 included a Gaming Night, monthly early release day films, a new Blog spot, as well as expanded content for teens on the library’s website, and, with the award of a Cultural Council grant, a new literary and art magazine developed by teen editor Carolyn Abend, TOGAzine, for Carlisle teens.

The children’s department offered an array of programs throughout the year. Weekly Story Times were offered for children ages 0-2, 2-3, 3-4 and 4-6 as well as special drop-ins in the afternoons and weekends for ages 2-4, and special visits to and from local preschools. The Cub Scouts and Brownies visited the library. This programming was planned and led by Children’s Librarians Marty Seneta, Nancy Boutet, and Seana Rabbito. Visits were made from Noah’s Ark and to the Carlisle Extended Day, the preschool in the Carlisle public school and the Children’s Place. In addition, each month PJ-clad children ages 3 and up joined in the pajama Story Time.

Children’s programs throughout the year included Museum of Science “Super Cold Science” program and movies during the February vacation, folk tales from around the world in March, Carribbean for kids during the April vacation, six weeks of special drop-in crafts for all ages in the winter, a gingerbread craft in December, singalongs offered by Liz Buchanan, and a signing Story Time. The 25th annual Great Pumpkin Spectacle included storyteller Tony Toledo with guest judges Angela Smith, Kate Bauer Burke and David Flannery, and a display full of creative pumpkins from Carlisle children grades K-3. In the fall, the library hosted a preview of the Three Apples Storytelling Festival.

“Wild Reads at Your Library,” 2008’s summer reading program, was open to all ages. Adults were invited to join children to log their readings as part of a townwide reading program. Some highlights included concerts on the lawn with Dot-n-Doc and Hatrack and Gallagher, Scott Jameson, Rainforest Reptiles, Sled Dogs from Denali National Park, movies, parties, and crafts for the participants. Thanks to the efforts of Marty Seneta, Nancy Boutet, and Erica Wing for leading the children's and teen programs and Martha Patten for managing the adult summer reading which continued to grow in popularity. Summer Reading for teens and adults logged over 68,000 pages.

New to the children's department this year was the display case where Carlisle kids curate their own exhibits of collections, and a puppet theatre. The Friends of the Gleason Public Library made these additions possible. The Children's Advisory Committee, including Jennifer Albanese, Susan Bacher, Lisa Chaffin, Lauree Cameron Eckler, Julia Krapf, and Mary Grant have provided the children's and teen's departments with sound guidance and support throughout the year.

Displays are an important part of the library, to highlight collections or tell a story. Throughout the Library, library staff regularly provides displays around subjects and collections, as well as writing material for local press outlets and blogs. In addition to these regular communications and displays, there were several historical displays of Historical Society/Gleason Public Library Collections, curated by Janet Hentschel. The Library and Historical Society work closely to preserve and share the story of Carlisle.

The Art at the Gleason program, led by the volunteer efforts of Andrea Urban and Brooke Cragan, hosted a number of shows in 2008. The artists who displayed their works included Jonathan Donahue, Fred Casselman, Susan Lehotsky, Pierre Chiha, Jumping Boy, and the Carlisle Public Schools art department. The Art at the Gleason program includes a reception for each show with volunteer support. The Library serves as a public venue for art in Carlisle.

This Library staff stayed the same in 2008; with the exception of the Library page Elisabeth Karafotias leaving for college. This consistency enabled the group to enter into an intense year of professional development. In the fall 2008 the Library received a Readers Advisory grant, administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, for $10,000, in which all staff, with the addition of two readers-in-residence, study the suspense/thriller genre. The mostly part-time staff does an outstanding job juggling many responsibilities while attending to visitors requests. We acknowledge the contributions of all staff, including Linda Dodge, Martha Patten, Jean Forman, Joan Hoffman, Shoba Ramapriya, Sukie Reed, Deena Scaperotta, Charles Schweppe, those mentioned throughout this report, and library page. Alex Knobel. We are fortunate to have custodians Dan Brainard and Fred Jones keeping the library building aesthetically pleasing and well maintained.

The role of volunteers at the Library has broadened this past year. More than ever, the Library has encouraged volunteers to plan and lead programming in order to save costs and staff time. We had nearly 2000 hours of volunteer time from our many volunteers doing everything from shelving, shelf fitting and attic cleaning, displays, programs, landscaping, marketing, and completion of special projects. Volunteers help the Library keep up with circulation and ensure community involvement in the day-to-day functions of the Library. Not counted in this number are the hours committed to the administration of the Library by the Trustees and Library Building Committee, who balance the varied needs and limitations of resources, public, building, and time to keep the Library operating at a high level of which the town can be proud. In appreciation for his years of service to the Library, the cat art sculpture at the west entrance was named Felix in honor of Felix (Phil) Conti, library trustee emeritus.

In 2008 the Gleason Public Library requested funds of $40,000 from the Carlisle Community Preservation Committee to diagnose deterioration and water damage and to develop plans for the restoration and repair of the Gleason Public Library historic building envelope. Awarded the funding at the May 2008 town meeting, the Library Building Committee, appointed by the Board of Library Trustees, includes Elizabeth DeMille Barnett, Albert Innamorati, Robert Hilton, Robert Koning, Sally Swift, and Neal Emmer. The committee developed, posted and completed a request for qualifications. The Library entered into contract with Lerner | Ladds + Bartels, Inc. with the services of Simpson, Gumpertz and Heger, who were in the midst of diagnostic testing at the end of 2008.

Town’s people participate actively in most aspects from the building, programs, to the items on the shelves and the budget. It is due to the depth of support that this library continues to flourish. This public support is supplemented by monetary gifts given to the Library Endowment, through membership and donations to the Friends, and through the generous donations of materials, collaborations, time and expertise provided by many organizations and individuals. Your support is genuinely appreciated and needed.

The Library was fortunate to receive both private and public grant awards in 2008. These awards are described throughout this report, but essentially provide enhancements such as professional development opportunities, staff time for program development, bolstering our collections and technology, and providing for upgrades to furniture. Our appreciation to the support the Library receives across the community.

In 2008 the Susan Zielinski Natural Science Fund has been created under the Gleason Public Library Endowment Fund to benefit the natural environment and the people of the Town of Carlisle. The Fund will support forums, lectures, exhibits and additions to the collection in the areas of geology and ecology, and the protection of wildlife, biological diversity, and the environment. The Fund honors the memory of Carlisle native Susan Elizabeth Zielinski (1970-2008) and reflects Susie’s love of the natural world and of the town where she grew up. The Fund was established in September 2008 by Susie’s parents, Sally and Robert Zielinski.

The Friends of the Gleason Public Library rely on their membership drive and the Library Book Sale to raise the funds necessary to support the Library in the many ways they do. The June 28, 2008 Book Sale raised $4,600 for the Library under the leadership of Kathleen Ryder and Seema Peterson, with the help of a hundred or so good friends and many local readers. Under the leadership of President Ann Quenin, the Friends made some major contributions to the library in 2008, including the purchase of a new public copier, passes to fifteen area museums, additions to the collections, and sponsorship of Summer Reading, afternoon lectures, the Pumpkin Spectacle, the Potluck Supper, to refreshments, matching funds for outside grants, speaker honoraria and support of the Art at the Gleason program.

The mission of the Gleason Public Library is to enrich lives through excellent services, programs, and collections that promote lifelong learning. As a valued cultural center of the community, the Library offers access to a variety of materials and creative services to satisfy the diverse recreational, educational, and cultural interests of the people of Carlisle. This report was prepared by Angela Mollet, Library Director.

GLEASON PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS