It is with heavy hearts we write to you today to announce the Friends of the Woburn Public Library have begun the process of dissolution. Sharen Ballard, (d.2022) Paul Battersby Helen Blair The library now offers multiple gaming areas and ways to experience Virtual Reality (immersive learning experiences) both in the library and out in the community, as well as offers users an opportunity to learn about drones, their applications across industries, and the chance to learn to flyall for free. Born July 1, 2013 Carli died peacefully after blessing us with eight and a ha If that is allowed to happen, you will see this library turned into a political instrument. Businesses were shut. Professional Job Listings in New England Public Positions Bonnie Roalsen's Phone Number and Email Last Update. E-Mail: office@black-bonnie.de. Of course, we will always keep traditional services available: yes, of course you can check out a physical book. Politics have no place in a library. "In recent weeks, there has been a coordinated misinformation campaign about the Woburn Public Library," Roalsen wrote. John Sarnowski Director ResCarta Foundation. Trustee William Callahan said that the trustees had discussed hiring an attorney at their Sept. 15 meeting. Ive made a concerted effort to listen to community concerns over the past few months, and I want to continue that, starting with an inclusive strategic planning process. This is also especially important considering that, for example, in 10 years, 800 million jobs on this planet thats 1 in 10 jobscould be made redundant because of automation, artificial intelligence, and the changing workforce. Register for a user account. In July, Bonnie said the room would not be made available to us and that we should hold the sale offsite. Thank you for your many years of support for our organization. Radaris empowers you to look up people's places of work so long as you have their specific details. Woburn Library Leadership Resigns, Citing 'Political Takeover'. This process will start in March and conclude in April. "Unfortunately, many skills of library staff do not translate to the digital world of a pandemic," Roalsen said. The librarys entire IT infrastructure has been overhauled, resulting in increased utilization of the entire system from computers to WIFI, increasing digital content access and digital utilization of facilities by 717%. Galvin already moved to remove the Board's president, Jan Rabbitt, in January, although she is fighting her removal. These successes have come despite an ugly attempt by politicians to remove our trustees, and then grant the mayor the power to hand-pick new trustees and a new library director. <> New carpet, paint, updated technology, and improved shelving units were added along with decorative painting. Most, but not all, of the trustees understood that vision. net gfanrt@diqsr. Members of the Support Woburn Librarians group had begun asking questions about the librarys decision to hire a public relations firm in October, filing an Open Meeting Law complaint as it appeared this happened without a quorum. To understand this, it is important that patrons and Woburnites understand that this a battle of ideas that will define the role of this library--either positively or negatively--for decades to come. At a time when this country is incredibly divided, that division is being sowed here at home. Since she joined the library as its director, Bonnie Roalsen has used the hashtag #teamhuman to promote the library's mission to meet the needs of everyone in the community, a sentiment that has. It is clear that residents are paying close attention to what is happening and are organizing against it as best they can. The staff and their supporters, in an online petition as well as a letter-writing and signage campaign, say that there is plenty for staff to do, but they are not being allowed to. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Your email address will not be published. Tel. Your IP: : +49 (0) 7681 / 20 632 - 18. Part of the librarys strategic plan is to establish a solid foundation to support not only STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) technologies and literacies, but also to look to the future and support GRIN technologies (Genetics, Robotics, InfoTech, and NanoTechnology). 4 pack of pant briefs: 4.50. 2023 pure unhinged ideology, on woburned part 2: people dont actually want the neoliberal library, review: Resolving Liberal vs. Conservative Conflict in the Workplace webinar, 1/14/21. Refusing that vision isnt defiant ignorance of the future its a rejection of one persons ill-advised neoliberal doctrine, which is itself defiant ignorance of what the community wants (and what lies at the core of librarianship, no matter how hard you namedrop Ben Franklin). Acceding to his request, we chose to hold only two events that fall, the Playhouse dedication in the Childrens Room, and our Annual meeting. 2 0 obj We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The staff and their supporters, in an online petition as well as a letter-writing and signage campaign, say that there is plenty for staff to do, but they are not being allowed to. To be clear: I will discuss and debate the best ways to make our libraries accessible with anyone under one condition: I will not engage in discussions with people who place swastikas on my car or who engage in other acts of intimidation threatening the admin team. Roalsen listed services currently available from the library, including curbside pickup and delivery and online programming such as Hoopla, Kanopy, and the Digital Scrapbook Project. Contact. Adolf-Ruth-Str. USA People Search has millions of results. The gridlock of trustees who placed their loyalty to Roalsen above concerns from citizens and refused to comply with Galvins attempts to discontinue her contractnot to mention racked up countless open meeting law violations and acted with bald-faced hostility to fellow board members in multiple public meetingsmight have left him with few alternatives. The election of new corporation officers was postponed, keeping Seitz and Clerk Kathryn Thifault in place. Thomas Crary. No member of the Friends Board was asked to participate in planning for the library gala that was scheduled for March of this year. 4 0 obj Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com. Dedham Public Library Dedham, Massachusetts postal code 02026. There were no vaccines. My goal has been to make libraries accessible to everyone and to improve the library experience for all. I love this library. Prospector. The Friends Board, despite our best efforts, was unable to find common ground with her. She opened up the building to the community as a place for learning, as well as a place for having fun.. Watching them become so engaged was amazing. 2.35 could buy seven cans of baked beans. In August 2016, when the Dedham Library Board of Trustees made the decision to hire Bonnie Roalsen as Dedham Public Librarys new Library Director, they were confident that they were hiring someone who could bring Dedhams library into the future, but little did they realize just how much Roalsen would deliver - and in so short a time. DEDHAM, MA - Earlier this week it was announced that the Dedham Public Library's Director Bonnie Roalsen has been wooed away to become Director at another public library in Massachusetts, details. Once you see that vision for the library, you cant unsee it. On Thursday, the Minuteman Library Network's directors said they would reconsider Woburn's membership if the city went forward with cuts. The trio of meetings dealt with the evaluation of Director Bonnie Roalsen, the election of officers and an Open Meeting Law complaint. The above letter was produced by Bonnie Roalsen. On today's episode, join Samantha as she chats with Woburn Public Library Director Bonnie Roalsen as she gives an update to happenings at the library in. Performance & security by Cloudflare. I don't know all of the details, but staff report many issues with her managerial style, particularly around miscommunication. Roalsen immediately went to work to modernize the libraries, taking the Dedham Library which didnt even offer consistent WIFI at its facilities and transforming it into a vibrant institution recognized by the library profession as an innovative, leading public library. It will hit. In this email, the library administrators ask community members to volunteer to run small . Were here because 2,000 concerned citizens have aired nine months of complaints about everything from ADA non-compliance to substandard services for children to lacking acknowledgments of cultural heritage months to the dissolution of fundraising bodies like the Friends of the Woburn Public Library. -----The #ProtectLibraryWorkers campaign has been co-organizing efforts to recognize the importance of protecting library workers and defending their jobs during the pandemic; this work has been covered in theNew York Times,NBC News,Boston Herald,Bloomberg City Lab,PBS News Hour, and many other news outlets. FAQ: Learn more about our top result for Bonnie Roalsen. Create public/private partnerships that help us do things in new ways. Roalsen integrated technology to expand the publics access to content and foster digital literacies needed in the modern world with a passionate focus on equitable access, no group went untouched or unhelped by the Directors new initiatives. (NOTE: This post does not in any way represent the views of my employer or any professional organization I am a part of. Should you have any questions, please reach out to woburnplfriends@gmail.com. While Ms. Roalsen's technology-focused approach to library management has a glossy appeal, her apparent desire to automate library functions and seek funding from corporate sponsorships comes off as an unabashed attempt to eliminate municipal jobs, decouple the library from its community, and defy the ethics of librarianship. Be a cultural beacon that respects and reflects the diversity of the world today. But I also have to be clear that the role of people who work in libraries is constantly changing, my own included. All views expressed are the author's own. These successes have come despite our own library network improperly inserting itself in a labor dispute, in the mayors own words, the minuteman library network does not have any right to dictate bargaining or budgetary priorities to the City of Woburn, and the harassment of our Library Director is intolerable and must stop immediately. The mayor also pointed out in that letter to the Minuteman Network that Seeking to intrude on the collective bargaining prerogatives of the City of Woburn and the work of my office, which manages those negotiations, is outrageous and unethical.. According to interim Director Chuck Flaherty, the board ratified a contract to hire Bonnie Roalsen, the ch And last year we delivered over 1,000 programs to the community, including events on our lawn, author readings, child development classes for parents, English language learning, Movie Mondays for seniors and so much more. Scott Peirce. The City of Woburn is an EOE/AA Employer. Given her former staff members say this anti-staff behavior was well underway before she came to Woburn, it is unfortunate that she is now in a position to engage in what looks like transparent union-busting. DEDHAM, MA - Earlier this week it was announced that the Dedham Public Librarys Director Bonnie Roalsen has been wooed away to become Director at another public library in Massachusetts, details of which will be revealed in coming days. Rather, the citizens should be encouraging a discussion about solutions that position Woburn for the future. Former Woburn Public Library Director Bonnie Roalsen said her team wrote the grant application in 2020. Thank you. "As library director, I want to set the record straight. Name: Don M Hallenbeck, Phone number: (603) 882-5999, State: NH, City: Nashua, Zip Code: 3062 and more information 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. WOBURN, MA Woburn Public Library Director Bonnie Roalsen wrote an op-ed in the Daily Times Chronicle, Wednesday, presenting her version of events surrounding the library over recent weeks. And I thank the Trustees for the opportunity to share my vision and our upcoming strategic planning process with you. Bonnie Roalsen Tech Integration, Cultural and Knowledge Organizations, Libraries, Blockchain, AI, Innovation Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States 402 followers 398 connections Join to connect. But a modern look and feel does not guarantee a future. Covering topics such as mobile reference, eBooks, mobile websites, and QR codes, this book examines the effects of the global mobile revolution on libraries and library userscritical information all librarians need.The Handheld Library: Mobile Technology and the Librarian. Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin sent Rabbitt a letter Jan. 27 removing her from the Board after an acrimonious recent meeting where it emerged that two members had not been informed of a meeting. These necessary changes are far more than cosmetic. All that is needed is the name, phone number, or email address of the lost person. 2. The proposed legislation would likely take months to come into effect it requires state approval but the council showed support the first time they discussed it, Feb. 2. Libraries were ALWAYS meant to be places of knowledge, curiosity, pushing boundaries, and sometimes some really crazy experiments. Public records for Bonnie Roalsen, 52 years old. Little did anyone know that, three weeks later, Gov. "The pandemic has accelerated that timeline and forced us to do things in new ways.". But heres what else the library of the future should have: And yet, in the dialogue surrounding how to make the Woburn library meet the challenges both of the pandemic and the world that is rapidly changing around us, admin staff have received threatening and harassing messages. Finally, the trustees discussed an Open Meeting Law complaint which cited the discussion at the Jan. 19 meeting, where trustees Mahoney and Joanne McNamee said they had not been part of a decision to hire an attorney. Roalsen shares, It has been a distinct pleasure to work for the Library Board of Trustees and with the Dedham community as we transformed the Dedham Public Library into the highly utilized community resource that it has become. A library isnt just supposed to serve middle-class white mothers of seven-year-olds. He had books on the first floor and electricity experiments on the second. I have had people share messages with me that are downright hateful. b***@oburnpubliclibrary.org. The library added a piano to the Main Library, circulating musical instruments, digital resources like ArtistWorks which give the public access to free music lessons, and a beautiful brass art hanging system to allow rotating art exhibits at the Main Library. He called it unconscionable and unacceptable and within two weeks, he had begun working on preventing lifetime appointments for Woburn trustees and forced Rabbitts resignation. For that reason, I regretfully tender my resignation, effective at the end of business on February 19th. But this saga started back in the spring, and though Roalsen and Meehan attempt to paint a very different picture in their resignation letters (available at the end of this article), we didnt arrive at this moment because of the political takeoverthat goes against our core values as Americans, or because of an expectation to only serve middle-class white mothers of seven-year-olds. Were here because even though the librarys FY21 budget was increased, Roalsen allegedly attempted to eliminate 17 of 25 jobs in the library during a pandemic and over 7,000 people said NO. Were here because Roalsen and Meehan insisted there was no work for staff members to do while the volunteer organization that was called in to help provide book pickup services figured out they were supplanting union jobs and refused to continue. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Friends of the Woburn Public Library Board. The ongoing dissolution of the Friends of the Woburn Public Library is a cruel attack on the city's residents, particularly its children. Privacy Policy; Legal Notices; Terms of Use; Children's Online Privacy Policy endobj Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com. The library's staff can offer services and programming from home, as scores of libraries throughout the state have been doing for months; however, it looks like the scant programming offerings for the next month will be provided by private performers and not qualified library staff. I hope people will listen to what I see as vital to the success of this library, and I am committed to hearing their vision as well. Traditional skills among library staff dont always translate to the rapidly changing world. Enrichment. resisting crisis surveillance capitalism in academic libraries. Meanwhile, another veteran trustee has stepped down under protest two other members on the nine-person body are also being replaced all while Library Director Bonnie Roalsen and other. Lowes. She cited other libraries that have laid off or furloughed staff, such as Brookline. Callan, 0 patients voted for the doctor, average rating 0.00 out of 5. We have people driving from an hour away on the South Shore to come use our facility and access our materials. "It's not just sending . To find who lives on your street, visit radaris.com and enter that street's address, city, state, or zip code. online petition as well as a letter-writing and signage campaign, the Minuteman Library Network's directors said they would reconsider Woburn's membership, libraries that have laid off or furloughed staff. See that vision, please reach out to woburnplfriends @ gmail.com postal code 02026 address of lost... Number, or email address of the trustees understood that vision for the,. 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