HomeMy Public PortalAboutfeb19anniversary Watertown Free Publlc Library
Library Director
Leone E. Cole
TO: Library Board of Trustees
FROM: Leone E. Cole, Library Director 4W4 (Z� 16*—
DATE: February 1, 2019
RE: Draft of Proclamation
Enclosed please find Caitlin's draft of a proclamation for the anniversary. Please review and if it is
acceptable I will forward it to the Town Council and request approval.
123 Main Street Watertown, MA 02472-4478
617.972.6434 watertownlib.or€
Watertown Free Public Library 150th Anniversary Proclamation
To be submitted to the Town Council at the XX/XX/XX Meeting
WHEREAS: Watertown Free Public Library was established on March 31, 1869 with Solon
Whitney as the first librarian, housed on the first floor of the Town Hall which stood on the
corner of Main and Church Streets. The library's permanent location on Main St. was built in
1883 with renovations in 1900, 1934, 1956, 1991, and 2006.
WHEREAS: the Library has proven commitment to serving Watertown's youth, providing
dedicated children's services beginning in 1900 and providing dedicated young adult services
beginning in 1955. Today, the library provides exclusive collections, programs, and spaces for
children and teens.
WHEREAS: the Library established Project Literacy in 1987 to provide support for adult learners.
Since its inception over 30 years ago it has become a premier resource for English language
learners in Watertown and beyond, providing free classes and 1:1 tutoring. In 2018, 31 years
after it was initially grant funded, Project Literacy personnel and core classes were fully
budgeted by the Town, solidifying its status as an essential library service.
WHEREAS: Library staff welcomes and serves all people without consideration of status, wealth,
gender, or other identity. In Fiscal Year 2018 the library welcomed 440,780 visitors, checked out
610,382 books and other items, and answered 48,882 questions. Open 70 hours a week,the
library provides collections, facilities, classes, programs, community space, and assistance with
a staff that is committed to service.
WHEREAS: Hatch Makerspace was established in 2014 as a public workshop to provide creative
tools and equipment as well as instruction on how to use them. First housed at the Arsenal
Project and then in a retail space at the Residence at Watertown Square, Hatch is a fine
example of the Library's collaboration with the community relying on the Town Budget, local
grants, and volunteers.
WHEREAS: The Library values Watertown's history. With a dedicated Local History room added
in the 2006 renovation under the guidance of Director Leone Cole, the library showcases
Watertown's past with a local author collection, art, photographs, and other ephemera that
documents Watertown's past. In 2016 the Library began highlighting this Local History
collection with digital displays and access to hundreds of digitized primary sources on the
library website.
WHEREAS: The Library Trustees and Staff will continue to embrace change and adapt to the
needs of its diverse users, maintaining its vital role as a center of community as it has been for
150 years.