Project Oscar: Community Composting at the South End Library

Library Park’s composting bin provides the South End with both a splash of color and a civic service.

Since 2014, the City of Boston’s Project Oscar has distributed dumpster-sized bins into which residents can drop their food scraps for use in composting. As part of the recent expansion of the program, a bin has been placed in our own Library Park!

Instructions on the compost bin

The compost bins are as ornamental as they are functional. The City worked with local artists to customize the bins through its Public Space Invitational civic design competition. Library Park’s bin dons a semi-abstract explosion of floral imagery in a rainbow palette that brightens the area with colorful cheer.

The Library Park bin will be managed by the City’s Public Works Department (PWD) and serviced by Black Earth Compost. On the exterior of the bin is helpful signage with clear directions about what can and cannot be dropped in for composting.

Additional educational materials about composting provided by the PWD are available here.

Contact information for questions about Project Oscar and composting

In addition to Project Oscar, the City runs a number of other initiatives aimed at expanding community engagement around composting and Zero Waste. Its ambitious Zero Waste Plan strives to reach a recycling rate of 80% by 2035 and 90% by 2050. As of 2019, the rate was somewhere around 25%. By far the largest contributor to the waste stream is food waste, which makes up about one-third of the total. This represents a huge opportunity, as composting is a simple way to recycle food waste.

Library Park in Bloom

Over the course of several days leading up to Thanksgiving 2021, a small group of dedicated volunteers, including several FOSEL board members, braved the cold to plant nearly 1,000 daffodil bulbs and 100 hosta bulbs in Library Park. They raked leaves, removed fallen branches, dug holes and planted until the last bulb was covered.  Now that spring is here, all that hard work is paying off, with the Park abloom in cheerful shades of yellow and white. Stroll by and have a look for yourself!

The relatively new tradition of planting thousands of spring bulbs in Library Park began in the fall of 2018, when FOSEL learned that City funding for the Park’s re-design would exclude plantings. Rather than leave the Park’s garden with nothing to show for the makeover, FOSEL brought in the first round of plantings that fall and watched them bloom profusely in the spring of 2019. During that 2019 summer, with the help of South End State Reps., Jon Santiago and Aaron Michlewitz, FOSEL secured $25,000 for soil improvement, perennials, an irrigation system and new low-level interior fencing as well as exterior fence repair.

Thousands more bulbs were planted in the fall of 2019 and 2020, which brought much appreciated beauty to the Park each following spring.  Now, once again, as a result of the hard work last fall, the Park has come alive with color and cheer, a harbinger of hope after another difficult year.  

BPL Trustees Hold First Meeting of 2022

On January 18th, the BPL Trustees held their first meeting of 2022.

 Opening Affirmation

BPL Copley

 BPL Board Chair, Priscilla Douglas, opened the meeting with an affirmation of the BPL principles taken from the Institutional Statement Ratified by the Board of Trustees for the Boston Public Library on September 29, 2020:

•  The BPL Trustees reaffirm their commitment to racial equity and to principles of diversity equity and inclusion, more broadly.

•  The Library is formally committed to becoming an anti-racist organization in response to systemic racism, inequality, and injustice prevalent in society.

•  The BPL Trustees acknowledge that the Central Library stands on land that was once a water-based ecosystem providing sustenance for the indigenous people of Massachusetts, and is a place which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange among nations. The BPL Trustees are committed to land acknowledgements for all locations on which it operates.

• The BPL Trustees reaffirm this commitment to set the context for planning, deliberations, and public engagement, so that they take place in the spirit of welcome and respect, reflected in the Library’s motto ‘free to all.’

Douglas also framed the Library’s equity work as EDI, indicating that equity must lead the way into diversity and inclusion.

President David Leonard honored all staff as “Librarians of the Year” and acknowledged how well they handled adverse weather and Covid test kit distribution in December. 

 Covid

The BPL is in the middle of the current Omicron surge and about 30 staff members were out last week.  As of 1/15 /22, the BPL will adhere to the City’s requirement that employees provide proof of vaccination, with first shots by 1/15/22 and second shots by 2/15/22, or undergo weekly testing.  Staff will be given time off to get vaccinated and tested, and staff in certain larger buildings can work from home until 1/31/22.  Vaccinations will also be required for patrons attending the café, restaurants, or private events. Masks are being made available for staff and patrons.   

There will be a delay in returning to expanded hours due to the Omicron surge.  The new date has not yet been set.  There is also a temporary return to virtual programming, although school visits will be allowed under specific guidelines.  Updated Covid signage is up, branches are revising the spacing of computers, and library card renewal dates will be extended.

 Open Positions

The BPL currently employs 433 people.  As of the end of 2021, the number of open positions fell from 96 to 66 (back up to 76 in early 2022 due to retirements and post-holiday changes). 

 Staffing Changes

Leonard shared some key staffing changes:

Laura Irmser, Director of Collections, has left BPL.  Collections Department Interim appointments include Melissa Andrews, Head of Technical Services & Collection Development (reporting to Michael Colford); Eben English, Digital Services & Digital Repository Team (also reporting to Michael Colford); and Beth Prindle, Head of Special Collections (reporting to David Leonard).  Priscilla Foley, Head of Neighborhood Services, will now report directly to David Leonard, with the addition of Maija Meadows Hasegawa as an added Area Neighborhood Services Manager.  In the Statewide & MBLN Library Program Support team, Angela Veizaga has transferred to Director of Partnerships and Keith Gillette is a new management addition as Chief Technology Officer.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Leonard and Colford updated the Board on the BPL Equity Agenda, reiterating the goals of:

• Being equity-led;

• Becoming an anti-racist organization;

• Building a healthier culture that promotes equity, respects diversity, and is inclusive;

• Ensuring that Collections & Services work is informed by EDI Principles; and

• Contributing to progress towards an equitable and equal, anti-racist society.

 Leonard reviewed the following EDI timeline:

• Began the new dialogue on Racial Justice, May 2020 

• Created the Statement on Racial Equity Commitment, August 2020 

• Began the Repairing America Series, 2020 and 2021 

• Started the YW Work Phase 1, July – December 2020

• Continued with YW Cohort Work Phase 2, February to October 2021

• Cohort Report Outs, November 2021

• Team and Department conversations/planning, Ongoing

• Cohort Working Group Recommendations, January 2022 Launch

• Equity Coordinator Hiring, projecting February 2022 Start

Staff is very involved in this work.  Over 400 employees participated in two different learning workshops offered in 2021.  Currently there are several key BPL Inclusion Cohort/Equity Working Groups focusing on inclusive decision making and transparency in communications, recruiting, and hiring with a focus on people of color (POC), professional development (with POC focus), formation of a BIPOC Resource Group and an Indigenous Peoples Issues Group, creation of a Climate Change Response Team, and conducting a Collections Management Procedure Review, incorporating guiding EDI principles. 

Demographic comparison:  The proportion of Latino individuals employed by the Library lags behind the proportion of Latino individuals in the City of Boston as a whole by about 11%, and the shortfall for black employees is around 5%.  Ideally, Leonard stated, BPL staffing diversity would mirror that of the City.

A 2021 snapshot of BPL POC Employees shows improvement is needed in various roles in the organization.

Leadership: 2 of 8 (25%)

Senior Managers: 5 of 20 (25%) 

All Managers: 10 of 42 (24%)

Branch Librarians: 5 of 23 (22%)

Senior Librarian Assistant Roles: 3 of 6 (50%)

PSA: 28 of 169 (16%)

AFSCME: 131 of 213 (61%)

Plans for 2022 include updating and managing the timeline for Action Plan commitments, determining metrics, and seeking a new external organization for ongoing cultural competency work and development of EDI expertise.

Key programming themes for 2022 include Black Is… (February), Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (May), Pride (June), Latinx Life (September), and Native Voices (November). 

Through the Repairing America program, BPL pledges to continue helping Americans become more resilient and able to face and conquer the challenges of today by offering programs and services in the areas of economic recovery, civic engagement and discourse, COVID-19 recovery, racial equity, workforce development, and youth engagement.

Finance & Audit Committee Report

Evelyn Arana-Ortiz, in partnership with Beth Prindle, sought and received approval for a project by Hepzibah Rapoport Consulting to clean, inventory, catalog, store, and provide access to hundreds of thousands of items in the Library’s significant founding research collection.  The project is funded by a private anonymous donor. 

 New Business

Trustee Jabari Asim was recognized for his newly published novel Yonder, set in the 1850 American South about risks enslaved peoples were willing to take for love. 

Also mentioned was the January 31st author talk by Patrisse Cullers, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, about her latest book, An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Change Yourself and the World.  She will be interviewed by L'Merchie Frazier, a visual activist and artist, historian, and educator who is the Director of Education and Interpretation for the Museum of African American History, Boston and Nantucket. 

Alyssa Cadillac, President of AFSCME, in addition to thanking staff and management for the recognition of all Library workers, asked about eliminating the requirement that all senior staff have Masters of Library Sciences degrees.  She also questioned how decisions were made with respect to which Finance Committee contracts are brought to the Trustees. 

The next trustees meeting is scheduled for March 15, 2022 at 8:30AM.

Library Park Planting

A big “thank you” to all who helped and supported the planting of Library Park in preparation for Spring. Despite the cold, volunteers came out over the course of several days before and after the Thanksgiving holiday to plant nearly 1,000 daffodil bulbs and 100 hosta bulbs!

Our volunteers included Tracey Bolotnick, Barbara Faires, Kelley Connors, Barbara Sommerfeld, Derek Lessing and his wife Kathy, Chris Fagg, Yvette Jarreau and Hermine Muskat (who took photos). 

This year FOSEL chose a variety of daffodils, which are expected to return annually from early to late spring.  We also experimented with planting two types of hosta – some edged with green and others with white.

The new tradition of planting thousands of Spring bulbs in Library Park began in the fall of 2018, when FOSEL learned that City funding for the Park’s re-design would exclude plantings.

Rather than leave the Park’s with nothing to for the makeover but a thin layer of brown mulch where plants used to be, FOSEL brought in the first load of 3,000 bulbs that fall and watched them bloom profusely in the spring of 2019. During that 2019 summer, with the help of South End State Reps., Jon Santiago and Aaron Michlewitz, FOSEL secured $25,000 for soil improvement, perennials, an irrigation system and new low-level interior fencing as well as exterior fence repair.

Green-edged hosta

With the current planting, FOSEL is looking forward to another season of delighting all passers by in the Spring of 2022!

BPL Trustees Hold November Meeting and Discuss Hiring Challenges and Plans for a Central Library Renovation

 President’s Report.

The BPL Trustees met on November 16th, and kicked off with President David Leonard reporting that it has been a banner year for the library branches.  There were ribbon cuttings at Adams Street and Roxbury, with Roslindale scheduled for December 12th.  Both the Jamaica Plain and Roxbury Branches are recipients of One Percent for Art awards, and Utile Design, the architectural firm that designed the new Roxbury Branch at Nubian Square, received a 2021 AIA/ALA Library Building Award.  Utile worked with the Boston Public Facilities Department and the BPL to complete the 27,000 square foot comprehensive renovation.

Next, Leonard introduced three new managers on the BPL team (two internal promotions and one new hire).  Angelique Davis is a new Assistant Human Resources Manager and Jesse Snow is the new Assistant Manager of Youth Services.  Sara Zaphiris has recently joined as Chief of Staff after many years of service with City and State government.

Addressing the collections ordering process issues that have been raised recently, Leonard stated that he shares the aim of improving current practices to ensure that good, relevant collections are available for all patrons.  He commended those who have raised the issues as well as the staff who are working to assess and improve the process.  He stated that there are no quick fixes and committed to having a more complete discussion of the subject at a future Trustees’ meeting.

Leonard noted that internal changes focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion at the BPL are ongoing and that while progress has been made on some fronts, much still needs to be done.   “We have to do better valuing all of the voices.  This is serious and urgent,” he said.  This will be a key topic for the next Trustees meeting in January.

Segueing to what Leonard called “a staffing crisis,” he reported that although BPL has hired for some open positions, there remain 75 full-time slots to fill.  As a result, the current limited central and branch library hours will continue into 2022.  Leonard indicated that the staffing difficulties are a result of the 2020 pandemic hiring freeze, a larger number of retirements than usual, and staff “quality of life” choices about remote work and moving out of Boston.

In response to a question about diversity hiring, Leonard pointed out that the demographics of the library staff mirror the overall demographics of the City, but acknowledged that there is a dearth of diversity among library and technical professionals in general that causes pipeline challenges in meeting diversity hiring goals.  He also noted that entry level positions can be difficult to fill because of a library requirement that people working for the City must live in the City, where the cost of living can be prohibitive.  BPL is working with Simmons College to launch a program for 2022 to hire more people of color.

McKim Master Plan Presentation

BPL Central Library Dartmouth Street entrance

Janette Blackburn, Managing Principal of Shepley Bulfinch, the selected architectural firm for the renovation of the McKim Building Plaza, entrance, Johnson Building connections, and third floor patron access point, provided an overview of the Master Plan, with assistance from Kelly Brubaker, her colleague specializing in library planning.  The project has four main phases:  review and strategic direction, funding, design, and construction.  The focus of the Plan is threefold:  building improvement and sustainability, enhancing spaces for patrons to engage with collections, and renewal for modern library services.  Input from the community focused on equitable access, improving wayfinding, and scholarship and stewardship that is open to all.

Challenges identified by Shepley Bulfinch include outdated building systems such as poor climate control, water incursion in some areas, level disparity between McKim and Johnson, lack of a public indoor route from McKim to Johnson, and an unwelcoming entrance/plaza not integrated with patrons’ needs. 

Key elements of the Plan include transforming the third floor to be patron focused for reference, education, and collaboration; a new public elevator allowing access for people with disabilities; collaboration rooms; classroom space for learning from special collections; and significant updates to the infrastructure and systems.  The Plan will allow patrons to utilize roughly 30% more of the McKim Building than under the current configuration.

On the second floor, the Plan contemplates an enclosed circulation path that allows patrons to move between rooms, as well as a multipurpose classroom.

BPL Central

The first floor will include a redesigned, open lobby, transparency into the orientation room, an additional opening between Johnson and McKim, and a skylight covering the courtyard.  The skylight enclosure is deemed necessary to support preservation of the building, as facades are deteriorating from constant weather exposure.  It will also allow for a significant increase in programming, as the courtyard will become usable year-round.

The Plan for the Dartmouth Street Plaza redesign celebrates the building, provides a better entrance with an integrated ramp, honors the historic architecture, and provides trees for shade and outdoor seating.

BPL Central courtyard

Renovations will be completed in phases, allowing for gradual funding and for keeping the library open during construction. 

The Trustees expressed excitement about the Plan, particularly the skylight enclosure of the courtyard and voted to endorse this conceptual approach.  Next steps involve engaging the new mayoral administration, addressing funding, which will include a combination of City, State, and private sources, and a feasibility study with presentations to the community for feedback.

New Business

Chairperson Pricilla Douglass announced the formation of the Special Collections Committee and the appointment of Trustee Ben Bradlee as the Committee’s Chair.  Bradlee expressed excitement about the role.

Public Comments

Two individuals made public comments.  One expressed the desire of the Roxbury community to have the name “Roxbury Branch at Nubian Square” changed to “Nubian Square Branch Library.”  The other expressed concern about the possibility of storing collections in the basement, where they would be vulnerable to water damage.  It was suggested that the collaborative spaces might be in the basement instead of the stored collections.

Notes from the September BPL Trustees Meeting

The BPL Trustees held a meeting on September 28, 2021 and discussed the following topics:

 New Committees 

The meeting began with an announcement of the inauguration of two new board committees:  The Strategic Community Engagement Committee, tasked with bringing various communities together, and the “Reformatted” Collections Committee, a revised version of the existing Collections Committee.  Both will be formed on October 8th.

 Programming

Michael Colford, Director of Library Services, then provided an update on programming.  He addressed youth programs, a major focus of the BPL’s offerings, which include virtual and outdoor Story Times for children, Countdown to Kindergarten at 16 branches, Future Readers Club, kindergarten camps, courtyard events, and homework assistance.

Colford also reviewed adult programming, including a lecture series entitled Joy & Renewal for the winter/spring, and high-profile author talks.  Tech Goes Home continues offering basic technology skills, with computer and WIFI access provided.  Colford also mentioned ongoing ESL support, early literacy, playwriting boot camp, and three programs with Grub Street, a local nonprofit focused on writing and literacy.

 BPL Fund Relaunch

BPL President David Leonard then addressed the relaunch of the BPL Fund (led by BPL Executive Director Paula Sakey) calling for a board vote on (1) a Memorandum of Understanding clarifying the relationships between and among the BPL, the BPL Fund, and the City, (2) a Gift Acceptance Policy outlining when and whether to accept a gift, and (3) a Named Giving Policy outlining naming rights for substantial gifts.  These policies were unanimously adopted and will clear the way for communicating with potential donors to the BPL Fund. 

 Summer Utilization

Leonard reviewed summer utilization numbers, estimating there were about 500,000 transactions per month for July and August, including visits, book use, and program attendance.  The numbers are not yet back to 2019 levels but are heading in the right direction. 

Cybersecurity Incident

Leonard reported that in August, the BPL experienced a significant cybersecurity incident which forced many services offline for 6-7 days, and required staff to quickly pivot to paper-based services.  There is no evidence that the personal information of patrons or staff was compromised and no reason to suspect internal wrongdoing.  Data was restored with minimum loss.  The board planned to discuss the matter further in a short executive session following the meeting.  A public law enforcement investigation is ongoing.  At the end of the discussion, Alyssa Cadillac, President of AFSME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO), offered praise for staff in stepping up to keep the library functioning and for IT staff who worked tirelessly to resolve the incident.

Pandemic Impact

Turning to the ongoing impact of the pandemic on current operations, Leonard mentioned that as of this summer’s reopening, the City requires all employees to report to work in person, and masks must be worn by staff and patrons at all BPL locations.  Roughly 20% of staff positions (around 86) remain unfilled partly as a result of the 2020 Covid-initiated budget freeze, and retirements.  Accordingly, ramping up staffing is a top priority at this time. 

Branch Activities

The McKim courtyard fountain project is complete and several concerts have been hosted there.  The Hyde Park Branch reopened in early summer after challenges with construction and supply issues.  The Adams Street Branch had a ribbon cutting this summer as well.

A Roxbury Branch at Nubian Square opening ceremony will take place on October 23rd and the Roslindale Branch is opening is delayed due to shelving availability issues.

The Programming Study for our South End Branch is planned for this fiscal year, which runs from July ‘21-June ’22.  Leonard indicated that the City Facilities Director has confirmed it will be started during this time period.

Agenda Items for Future Trustees Meetings

Future Trustees meetings will focus on racial equity, and will welcome representatives from the nonprofit DEI organization YW Boston.  The McKim Master Planning (and capital) Campaign is also on the agenda for future meetings. 

Financial

Evelyn Arena-Ortiz, Chair of the Finance/Audit Committee, introduced Matt Hunt from the audit firm to update the board on the recent financial audit, which resulted in an unmodified opinion.  The review was free from any material errors or issues.  The general fund is up 6% over last year with a 25% increase in expendable trust funds due to stock market gains.

Public Comments 

Public comments focused mainly on the concern among many branch librarians that the current collections process does not allow them to align branch collections with their communities’ unique needs (10 of the 14 commenters addressed this). 

Marleen Nienhuis, founder and former President of FOSEL, spoke about recent staff changes at the South End Library, and the importance of considering the needs and interests of library patrons and the broader community in making such decision.  Nienhuis said:

I hope my comments will inspire you to reconsider the notion that what happens to local libraries and their staff is not just an internal matter.  Branch library staff everywhere in Boston have long-standing relationships with library users based on mutual trust and understanding…I and many other patrons hope you will reconsider how to respect and value the importance of the relationships between branch staff and library users.

Sadiki Kambon of the Nubian Square Coalition spoke about the naming of the Roxbury Library at Nubian Square and requested that the BPL declare the naming vote null and void and schedule a session to allow sufficient input from the community.

The next Trustees meeting is scheduled for November 16, 2021 at 8:30 am.

Volunteers Wanted for Planting in Library Park

Volunteer for Fall Planting at Library Park!

The South End Library's Park has been weeded and mulched and is now ready for fall daffodil and hosta planting in preparation for spring 2022. Many thanks to all who helped - Chris Fagg, Barbara Faires, Reggie Ellenwood, Derek Plessing, Nancy Downer, Yvette Jarreau, and special thanks to Chris Neff of the Parks Department who provided the mulch in two big deliveries.

Please click HERE to volunteer for planting, likely in October. It is sure to be a fun community activity that will bring big smiles to the neighborhood in the spring.

Staff Changes at our South End Library

After many years of devoted service to the South End community, Head Librarian Anne Smart has retired.  FOSEL enjoyed a very congenial and collaborative relationship with Anne since its founding over 14 years ago, and we wish to express our profound thanks for all she has done for the Library and the community.  Anne, we wish you the best in this new phase of your life.  We will miss you!

Anne Smart in front of the South End Library

Matt Krug, another beloved Librarian at our branch since 2013, has also left with hopes of bringing his energy, creativity, and passion for service to a new organization in the Boston area.  FOSEL offers our gratitude for his service and wishes him all the best as he navigates new “waters.”

Matt Krug

Awesome Music in Library Park!

FOSEL was once again able to present our exciting summer Jazz & Blues concerts in Library Park this August.

August 3rd and 17th were beautiful evenings, breezy and perfect for Pat Loomis and Friends’ Jazz & Blues concerts in the Park. When the music started, the Park filled up with happy listeners singing along and clapping. On both evenings the band offered up a wonderful mix of jazz and blues pieces that pleased everyone—seated, standing or lining the fence on all three sides.

FOSEL’s final concert this summer featured songs from Loomis’ upcoming album with Pat on alto saxophone, Antonio Loomis on guitar, Adonis Martin on keyboard, Daniel Day on bass, Zeke Martin on drums and vocalist Sarah Seminski singing.

It was so wonderful to once again enjoy live music with friends and neighbors in South End Library Park. Thanks to all who made the evenings so delightful!

Volunteers Wanted to Help Prepare Library Park for Summer Concerts

FOSEL is excited to once again be able to present our summer Jazz & Blues concerts in Library Park this August.  FOSEL President Yvette Jarreau, with the help of Chris Fagg, has been hard at work getting the Park ready, weeding, pruning and cleaning the garden.  They have made good progress but there is more to do. 

FOSEL invites all interested friends and neighbors to come to the Park and lend a hand, spend some time outdoors with other volunteers, and ensure the Park is looking its best for the upcoming concerts.  

If you are interested, please contact us at info@friendsofsouthendlibrary.org.

South End Writes Summer Break

South End Writes Summer Break

After a full winter/early spring season, South End Writes will take a summer break in July and August, and hopes to come back in September to finish out the year with in-person author talks! We can’t wait!

Have a Great Summer!

BPL Trustees Meet and Review Accomplishments

The BPL Trustees meeting held on May 18, 2021 began with a reaffirmation of the BPL’s commitment to value the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, to embrace the goal of being an antiracist organization, and to acknowledge that BPL is located on indigenous peoples’ land.

President David Leonard then gave his report, highlighting BPL’s key recent achievements, including the following:

• Programs and services were successfully continued during the pandemic (hotspots were provided for digital equity; Wi-Fi improvements were made; chrome books, book bundles, craft kits, and virtual access to the McKim building were offered).

• Demand for services has remained robust, with a record 5.2 million items borrowed in 2020, 100% increase in digital borrowing versus three years ago, and 77,000 new ecard patrons.

• A Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement and Action Plan was formally ratified and a new $75,000 grant was received to increase the library’s antiracist collection.

• Improvements to neighborhood branches were made, with the opening of the Roxbury branch and planned openings of the Adams and Roslindale branches.

Leonard touted additional BPL programs such as Tech Goes Home (offering beginner level instruction for new computer and internet users), ESL conversations, online homework assistance, future readers club, and Repairing America programs.  He also pointed to developments in the digital realm, with expanded online access to collections and rare books and manuscripts, and other accomplishments in the areas of youth engagement, workforce development, and out of school programming. 

In an important step toward more equitable availability of the library, the Trustees voted to permanently eliminate fines for overdue items.

Leonard reported that going forward, the BPL’s focus will be on staff development, hiring an Equity Coordinator, enhancing strategic partnerships, increasing Trustee engagement, and reopening branches.  Although no announcement was made regarding reopening dates, Leonard indicated that there would be news soon, and that many locations will continue to have restrictions when opened.  Remote options will continue to be available, resources permitting.      

Leonard stated that Capital projects for fiscal year 2022 will include the kick off of the Programming Study for our own South End branch.  Funding for the Study has been rolled over from the previous budget.

For those interested in reading more, a 17-page document detailing the BPL’s recent accomplishments and initiatives is available at:  https://www.bpl.org/about-us/board-of-trustees/board-meeting-schedule/.

Library Park is in Bloom!

Hokus Crocus adorn the Library Park gardens and usher in spring.

At the end of October 2020, a small group of Library Park aficionados, including FOSEL founder Marleen Nienhuis and dedicated volunteers Chris Fagg and Walter Newman, chased away the pandemic and election-season blues by taking planting tools and 3,000 bulbs to Library Park.  Buffeted by cold weather, rain, high winds and three inches of the season’s first snow, they raked the leaves, removed the fallen branches, dug holes and planted until the last bulb was covered.  As we head into spring, their work is paying off.  The crocuses, daffodils, and tulips are in full bloom and the grape hyacinth are beginning to peek through.  Stroll by the Library and have a look for yourself!

Celebrating getting the last bulb into the ground in the fall

The new tradition of planting thousands of spring bulbs in Library Park began in the fall of 2018, when FOSEL learned that City funding for the Park’s re-design would exclude plantings. Rather than leave the Park’s garden with nothing to show for the makeover, FOSEL brought in the first round of plantings that fall and watched them bloom profusely in the spring of 2019. During that 2019 summer, with the help of South End State Reps., Jon Santiago and Aaron Michlewitz, FOSEL secured $25,000 for soil improvement, perennials, an irrigation system and new low-level interior fencing as well as exterior fence repair.

Big Up tulip blend in bloom

Another 3,000 bulbs were ordered and placed in the ground in the fall of 2019, which in 2020 provided much appreciated visual relief from the gloom of the pandemic that forced many South Enders to stay close to their homes.  And now once again, as a result of the hard work last fall, the Park has come alive with color and cheer, a harbinger of hope after a long and difficult year.  

Spanish Bluebells are expected to bloom in June.

BPL TRUSTEES MEET - PREPARE FOR REOPENING AND A "NEW NORMAL"

Outgoing BPL Board of Trustees Chair, Bob Gallery (center) and BPL President, David Leonard (right)

The March 23 meeting of the BPL Board of Trustees opened with Acting Chair, Evelyn Arana-Ortiz, thanking Mayor Walsh for his service and welcoming Acting Mayor Kim Janey and all the new BPL Trustees: Navjeet Bal, Joseph Berman, Joyce Linehan, Michael Rush, and Christian Westra.  A farewell to outgoing Chair Bob Gallery followed.  Arana-Ortiz characterized the Board as one of the strongest and most diverse in the Commonwealth, and praised Gallery for his contribution to creating a more unified and cohesive community among the Trustees, the libraries, and the associated Friends groups.  Gallery expressed his gratitude to the Board for their collaboration and his intent to stay involved.

Governance & Development Committee

Trustee John Hailer provided an update from the Governance & Development Committee, noting the nomination of Priscilla Douglas to serve as the Chair of the Board from March 23, 2021 through May 18, 2021, the date of the next annual meeting and formal election process.  The Board voted unanimously to accept this nomination.

President’s Report

BPL President David Leonard began the President’s report by expressing his wholehearted support for Douglas’s nomination and his desire to collaborate with Douglas and the Board going forward. 

Douglas spoke briefly, indicating her strong approval of the BPL’s performance during the pandemic and emphasizing the seamless, continuing service being provided to existing patrons as well as expansion to new patrons.  She acknowledged the need to recover from Covid, racial inequities, and economic divides, and achieve a “new normal,” in which the library will meet people wherever they are.   

Continuing his Report, Leonard welcomed City Councilor Frank Baker, who proposed the dedication and renaming of the community room at the Adams St. Branch Library as “the Pat O’Neill Community Room.”  O’Neill was a neighborhood association leader in Dorchester who worked energetically and selflessly for the betterment of the library, neighborhood, and City.  She passed away last spring.

Leonard denounced the violence in Atlanta and Colorado, and highlighted the need for the nation to confront and address the issues of gun control, misogyny, and racism (including anti-Asian discrimination).  He noted that bringing a permanent Chinatown library branch to fruition is a key BPL priority.

Leonard introduced two new BPL managers, John Towle, Chief of Staff & Strategy, and Brett Curry, Facilities Manager – Branches.  With the City’s hiring freeze lifted, he stated that other open positions will be filled as soon as possible.  Although BPL’s push for early vaccine eligibility for library staff was unsuccessful, Leonard noted that all personnel will be eligible on April 19th.  Although the vaccine is not a precondition for reopening, it will bring a sense of safety to many in the coming weeks.  Leonard expects to have more news about reopening at the May Trustees’ meeting.  In the meantime, there will be modest additions to services across the system.

Leonard discussed the evolving Strategic Road Map, the BPL’s five-year plan, which will be presented at an all-staff meeting the week of March 29th and will be brought up for a vote of the Trustees at the May meeting.  Key focus areas are

·      Becoming an antiracist organization and building a culture of respect

·      Offering programming and services that build and maintain equity

·      Building, maintaining, and activating collections

·      Expanding reach, awareness, and impact with fiscal sustainability

·      Creating inspiring spaces, well maintained and modern infrastructure

·      Creating patron and staff connections and services through technology

·      Continuing to expect the unexpected

There will be four phases to be implemented over the next five years. 

Finance & Audit Committee Update

Kurt Mansperger, BPL Chief Technology Officer, presented the BPL 2021 Technology Plan.  The following is a list of its key goals:

·      Focus on impact and outcomes using data analytics

·      Extend the library’s reach equitably, with external WIFI, Chrome Book lending, hot spot program, etc.

·      Expand educational opportunities – extend technical training for staff and patrons

·      Develop spaces that meet evolving patron needs – more comfortable and after hours, improving video conference capability at all branches

·      Enable One Library through a communications platform, internal document management, and relationships

·      Drive organizational efficiency – improve existing work flows, onboarding, promotions, etc.

·      Improve IT fundamentals – staff development, data center, information security

The Board voted to accept the Plan.

Investment Performance

Arana-Ortiz reviewed the investment funds’ performance, noting an 18% year-to-date return as of the end of January 2021, and more than an 8% return over the ten year period for the $73 million currently invested.  Some re-allocation among funds is planned. 

New Business

The Trustees wish to have a separate, more in-depth discussion of the library’s antiracist evolution and the issues related to the library’s stance on keeping “publisher-removed” Dr. Seuss books in special collections and available to patrons. 

Public Comment

David Vieira of City Friends welcomed the new Trustees and expressed his personal opinion that the BPL should not provide commentary about any books including the “publisher removed” Dr. Seuss books.

 Individually, the following people expressed their concern about the process of naming the former Dudley Square Branch the Roxbury Branch and their desire to have the library rename the Roxbury Branch the Nubian Square Branch.

·      Paula Coar of the Roxbury/Nubian Square coalition

·      Jamada Smith

·      Samuel Pierce

·      Marie Ferman, resident of Roxbury and President of the Black Business Development Group

·      Dr. Reginald L. Jackson, a member of the Roxbury/Nubian Square Coalition

 Nora Vincent, resident of West Roxbury, spoke about the use of the words “Becoming an anti -racist organization and building a culture of respect” and stated the importance of using the word “becoming,” citing the need to continue the evolution.

 The next meeting is set for May 18th  at 8:30am.

BPL Holds Annual Friends Group Breakfast Meeting (Virtually)

March 6, 2021

Each year Priscilla Foley, Director of Neighborhood Services for BPL, and David Leonard, BPL’s President, host a BPL Friends group breakfast.  This year’s get together was well-attended in spite of being virtual, without the usual delicious food.  

Leonard kicked things off with an acknowledgement that it has been a full year since the library was closed, and segued into an announcement that he anticipates a staggered, safe reopening in the coming months.  He mentioned the modest change to Friday hours to accommodate our Age Strong community’s needs, and reiterated the imperative of balancing health and safety with increased services.

Although no specific reopening date has been set, BPL staff are scheduled to meet later in March with the City’s Health Commission to hash out a limited and cautious plan.  Leonard’s expectation is that the library is likely to begin opening in late spring/early summer with more robust in person access in the fall.  There will likely be capacity constraints, masks required, staff appointments, and limited computer usage.  The plan will take into consideration differences in branches and their capacities.  Some branches may even have evening hours and accommodate walk up services.

Leonard also discussed the need for greater clarity around the characterization of library workers as educators or essential workers for vaccine eligibility purposes. 

Paula Sakey, Executive Director of the BPL Fund, was up next.  Long connected with the public library, Sakey characterized her stewardship of the Fund as “Chapter Two,” following her predecessor’s 2019 relaunch of the Fund.  As the primary philanthropic arm of the BPL, the Fund raises money for the system as a whole, while also providing opportunity for philanthropists to support special purposes/collections.

Sakey introduced the Fund’s team:  Anna Harris, Development Associate; Beth Barcklay, Individual Giving; Theresa Meckel, Finance; Benjamin Wind, Corporate & Foundation Relations; Ayodale Abinusawa, Development and Communications Intern; and Angelina McCoy, Business Operations. 

Sakey and her team can already boast of significant accomplishments, including surpassing their $1 million goal for broad-based, multi-channel individual giving, and establishing The 1848 Society for estate and life income gifts, with $750K in future gifts.  The Fund is seeking restricted gifts to support Youth programs, Workforce Services, and Equity.  Overall, they have raised $2 million to date.

The next agenda topic, Adult Summer Reading, was led by Veronica Koven-Matasy, who reviewed the bingo card style program encouraging adult reading in a fun format.  The program is carried out in multiple languages with gift cards to local bookstores.  In March 2020 it went virtual, but it is still accessible to people not using digital platforms.  It has grown significantly from 2018 to 2020 with the expectation of continued growth in 2021.  The program can be accessed at bingo@bpl.org.  Funding for this program has been provided by Friends organizations.

 Capital Projects Update

Priscilla Foley then gave an update on BPL capital projects, starting with a quick overview of the standard capital project process, which includes three phases: 

1. Programming Study:   Approximately 1 year, with 3-4 community meetings & surveys

2. Design phase:              Approximately 1 year, with 3-4 community meetings including input from Friends groups and the community

3. Construction:               Varies depending on the complexity

 Foley then reviewed the status of current projects in the pipeline:

·      Adams Street Branch – doubled the 7500 sq ft size; commitment to a key shade tree, no opening date yet with interior work continuing

·      Roslindale – expansion of the community room, move the children’s art to the back, great input from the Friends group, hoping for completion by end of summer/ early fall

·      McKim Fountain – maintenance underway

·      Rare Books – interior project at Central with a reading room and welcoming access

·      Faneuil Branch – design is completed for one of the smallest branches.  Created an accessible entrance for everyone, added kids’ room in the back and accessible bathrooms.

·      Eggleston & West End – Programming study is underway as a joint process, held two community meetings with great feedback received, considering the potential of housing with the library

·      Codman Branch – starting programming study to consider housing and library

·      Chinatown – looking for a permanent site

·      Uphams Corner – programming study

·      Roxbury –completed with staff getting a virtual tour in September

·      Central Library Roof & Skylight – completed

·      Hyde Park waterproofing – to be completed in April

·      North End & South End – programming studies for each likely to begin this calendar year; awaiting assignment of city facilities project manager

·      Fields Corner – entering design phase

Community Room in the South End Library Named in Honor of FOSEL Founder Marleen Nienhuis

Following an October 2020 City Council Resolution and approval by the BPL Board of Trustees, the second-floor community room in the South End Library has been named, “The Marleen Nienhuis Community Room,” in honor of the Friends of the South End Library’s founder.  The move was initiated by FOSEL’s current board of directors upon the conclusion of Marleen’s tenure with the organization last fall, as a way to express appreciation for her vision and leadership over the years.  As indicated in the Resolution, FOSEL has succeeded in making the South End Library a more relevant community resource under Marleen’s tutelage.  Her accomplishments are many, from establishing a variety of popular programs at the Library, such as The South End Writes author series, annual Easter Egg hunts for neighborhood kids, and summer jazz and blues concerts, to transforming the Park into a welcoming community green space with a central plaza, new perennial plantings, a butterfly garden, and an automated irrigation system.  The Resolution also acknowledged Marleen’s work with the City and the BPL in planning the recent improvements to the Library’s interior, and in teeing up the branch for a full renovation over the next few years.

The final stage of the commemorative tribute was completed last week with the installation of elegant silver lettering on the wall.  Although the pandemic has kept Marleen from visiting the newly named space, she expressed her surprise and gratitude for the gesture, noting that she was “deeply touched” and calling the lettering “gorgeous .... so simple and stylish.”  FOSEL looks forward to the day in the not-too-distant-future when all will be welcomed back into the Library to see it for themselves.

Marleen Nienhuis

The current leadership of FOSEL is thrilled to recognize Marleen’s hard work on behalf of our mission and community in this way.  As stated by board member Marilyn Davillier, “What a wonderful thing to see after all this time of [her] tireless and many contributions to the Library.  [She] has enhanced and enriched a worthy institution.  We are all very grateful.”  And Advisory Board member Maura Harrington summed it up well, calling the naming of the room “a fitting tribute to a visionary whose commitment, persistence and hard work made extraordinary plans a reality.”

For more about Marleen’s contributions to the Library and the neighborhood, click HERE.

BPL President Condemns Attack on US Capitol and Introduces New Program

The US Capitol under siege on January 6th

At a meeting of the BPL Trustees held on January 12th, BPL President David Leonard reflected on the events that took place in Washington a week earlier.  Leonard shared with the Trustees the message he had delivered to his staff the evening of the attack, in which he called the insurrection “frightening and disturbing,” and expressed his sincere hope for an immediate end to the violence and for accountability for the perpetrators.  Quoting the inscription beneath the cornice on the McKim Building, Leonard highlighted the role of “education of the people as a safeguard of order and liberty.” 

BPL President David Leonard

 Heeding the wisdom of that idea, Leonard introduced Repairing America, a new BPL programming series created by the Library Services team to help bridge the gaps that divide America.  The series will include programs and services ranging from a high-profile speaker series and community services to a yearlong reading challenge and several equity related initiatives.  

Leonard reported that key themes for the program will include:

·     Economic recovery 

·       Civic engagement and discourse 

·       COVID-19 recovery 

·       Racial equity 

·       Workforce development 

·       Youth engagement

More detail on the program will be available on BPL.org in the Trustees section when draft minutes of the meeting are posted. 

FOSEL Delights Neighborhood Children with First Ever Book Giveaway

2020 has been a difficult year for all, and with limits on gatherings in place, FOSEL was unable to lighten the mood with its annual Holiday Party.  Instead, we aimed to spread a little much-needed cheer by making gifts of books to neighborhood children.  Despite a gray and rainy day on Saturday, December 12th, the event opened with a line of parents and their children, masked and socially distanced, waiting to be the first recipients of the Library’s gift books. Tables with new, carefully selected titles, organized according to age, were set up in Library Park and children were invited to choose their favorites to take home in brightly colored book bags emblazoned with the FOSEL logo.  A handful of chocolate kisses were tossed in with each bag, adding a touch more sweetness to the treat of reading.  

Among the books on offer were classics for the very young, including board book versions of Corduroy, Pete’s a Pizza, The Snowy Day and Snowmen at Night, and popular picture books for 4-10 year-olds including Library Lion, Strega Nona, and A Bad Case of Stripes.  Also available was artist/activist Faith Ringgold’s beautifully illustrated Tar Beach, loved by adults as well as children. For slightly older kids, there were two chapter books, Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot and The Unicorn Rescue Society’s The Creature of the Pines (described as “the perfect fit for newly independent readers”).  And for kids who prefer to read in Spanish, the program offered No dejes Que La Paloma Conduzca el Autobus by beloved children’s book author and former Sesame Street writer Mo Willems, and Un Caso Grave de Rayas.

Tracey Bolotnick, FOSEL board member and one of the organizers of the program, notes that the gifting of books to children living in the South End is a first for our Library.  “It’s been a tough year for our community. An event like this brings us together, gives us something we can all joyfully anticipate, and promotes reading to boot.”

Regretfully, the planned second weekend of the Holiday Book Giveaway had to be cancelled due to Boston’s intensified Covid restrictions, but FOSEL is committed to distributing the remaining books to neighborhood kids and plans to partner with the Boston Public Schools to do so.  The librarians will hold back a portion of the remaining gift books to hand out to families who come by the Library while supplies last.  

All images courtesy of Hermine Muskat

BPL Offers Free Online Homework Assistance for K-8 Students Monday through Thursday 3:30pm - 5:30pm through May 2021

Zoom Link: https://boston-public-library.zoom.us/my/bplhap

FOSEL Begins Community Research in Support of the Upcoming New Library Process

With the full support of Mayor Walsh and all of our other local and state elected officials, the Boston Public Library (BPL) has planned and executed major renovations and rebuilds to the Central Library and several other BPL branches over the past few years.  In the next 3-5 years, the South End Library is slated to undergo transformative change to meet the needs of current and future growth in the community.  FOSEL is excited to collaborate in planning the reinvention of the South End Library with the BPL, Boston’s Public Facilities Department, and you, the South End community. 

An intensive Planning Process for the Library overhaul is scheduled to begin next year.  It will be sponsored by the BPL and the City and will start with a Programming Study, to be funded in the FY 2020-2021 budget.  In accordance with past practice, it is anticipated that the BPL and the PFD will hold a public information-gathering meeting with South End residents to inform the Study. 

In preparation for the Program Study, FOSEL hopes to enhance the planners’ understanding of our diverse community with basic qualitative research about the residential and commercial demographics of the neighborhood, the various aims of South End-based nonprofit organizations, and the needs and expectation of South End residents vis-à-vis their use of the Central Library and the South End Branch.  

A New Library Committee comprised of FOSEL board members and volunteers has begun to reach out to our various South End neighborhood associations, churches, schools, and charities and is gathering information to inform the Planning Process.  Committee members include Joe Rondinelli, Yvette Jarreau, Dorothy Kelley, Russ O’Haver, Michael Hinchcliffe, and Derek Lessing.  

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about how to best improve our library.  To contact us email info@friendsofsouthendlibrary.org.