Who Needs Libraries? We All Do!

Libraries all over the country just celebrated National Library Week last week. Here in Massachusetts it was marked by Library Legislative Day at the State House on April 11 and Snapshot Day in all libraries on April 12.

Watertown Free Public Library joined 214 other libraries in the Commonwealth by recording a “day in the life of your library” on Snapshot Day. There are over 4600 great photos of Massachusetts library users of all ages going about their library business—taking out materials, reading or listening in the library, attending programs, using computers or just meeting up with friends. All of them are on view at http://www.flickr.com/groups/snapmass

The Patch Pics and Clips section includes a few of  Watertown Free Public Library's great Snapshot Day photos.

Last year’s Snapshot Day provided the visuals for a new video about Massachusetts Libraries produced by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC).  It can be viewed on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDr1-nzqvBo&feature=youtu.be 

The photos and video also inspired the tag line “Who needs libraries? We all do!” The MBLC has used this in all 2012 promotional materials and as a rallying point for this year’s Library Legislative Agenda. The Agenda includes the MBLC budget which supports such essential services as state wide delivery of materials among libraries, databases, talking book services to blind and physically handicapped and many grant and construction programs.

Advocacy for the Library Legislative Agenda begins in the Fall and continues as the state legislature’s budget process develops.  Highlights for library legislative action occur at breakfasts held around the state during the winter. The local library legislative breakfast took place at the Robbins Library in Arlington on Feb. 9 with Watertown representatives, legislative aides and many library staff and supporters attending. 

The year’s advocacy efforts came together at the State House on April 12, Library Legislative Day, the day the state budget was released by the Ways and Means Committee. Again Massachusetts library staff and supporters met and mingled with their state representatives and senators. School librarians held a student bookmark contest which brought together students, parents, teachers, librarians and legislators.

Two legislators were specially honored for their advocacy work on behalf of libraries.  The Massachusetts Library Association gave its Advocacy Award to Rep. Kate Hogan for her leadership of the Library Caucus and her outspoken support of libraries throughout the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts School Library Association honored Rep. Sean Garballey for his sponsorship of legislation HD4254, An Act Creating a Special Commission on School Library Services in the Commonwealth.