All Yours Just Ask
Watch a video of these official Springfield City Library announcements.
07/07/22 – Springfield Library Eliminates Fines & Announces Summer Reading Program
Watch the announcement in the video below!
Free lunch for children under 18 will be offered from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. starting Monday, June 27th through August 25th at the following branches: East Forest Park, Forest Park, Indian Orchard, Mason Square, and Sixteen Acres.
Check out the story and video from WWLP
The story:
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Home Grown Springfield will be opening 43 Summer Eats meal sites across the city to provide free meals for kids and teens.
They provide breakfasts and lunches Monday through Friday for children and teens 18 and under at no cost. No registration or identification is needed.
Free lunch will be offered from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. starting Monday, June 27th through August 25th, at East Forest Park Library, Forest Park Library, Indian Orchard Library, Mason Square Library, and Sixteen Acres Library.
“Our unwavering commitment to serving our students doesn’t end on the last day of school,” said Sodexo Operations Manager Donna Briggs. “We never stop feeding our kids. Our team never stops.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Home Grown Springfield’s team members served over 9 million meals to students across the city when school was out.
Children do not need to be from Springfield or attend Springfield Public Schools to be eligible. To find free meals for kids and teens, text “Springfield” to 82257.
“Providing continued food access to our youth throughout the summer is vital to student wellbeing,” added Sodexo’s Resident District Manager Roger Weger. “Thank you to the community organizations who are partnering with Home Grown Springfield to serve meals; their dedication and support to expanding meal access across Springfield has been phenomenal.”
The Library will circulate Google Chromebook laptops for those in the community that do not have computer access at home.
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – April 20th, 2022 – The Springfield City Library has introduced Google Chromebook laptops into circulation in an effort to expand access to technology within the community. The Chromebooks can be borrowed separately or paired with one of the wireless hotspots that began circulating in May 2021. These Chromebooks are available to be borrowed free of charge with an active library card.
The Google Chromebooks are available to borrowers 18 years of age and older who are in good standing with the library. They may be borrowed for 14 days and are available on a first come, first served basis. Each Chromebook comes with a power cord and sturdy carrying case and can be operated with an existing Google login or guest option. Chromebooks are available at all Springfield Library locations; please check the link below or call your local branch to check on availability. Borrowing a Chromebook and wireless hotspot together make the perfect pair for internet access at home.
CLICK TO SEE CHROMEBOOK AVAILABILITY IN THE CATALOG.
Jean Canosa Albano, Assistant Director of the Library, said, “It’s very important that we, at the library, are doing everything we can for our community to have access to technology, whether it is within our doors or at home. With the changing times, we are glad we can be flexible in the how but unwavering in the what and why. We are excited to see the impact this has for our patrons.”
Chromebooks are made possible through a grant from the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The goal of this program is to provide access to the technology necessary to connect to the internet to those that do not have the ability.
Founded in 1857, the Springfield City Library provides over 800,000 free print, physical, and digital resources for public enrichment. To learn more, visit www.springfieldlibrary.org
# # #
The Springfield Library Foundation is pleased to announce that the six children of former City Solicitor William White and his wife Patricia have joined together to make a $200,000 commitment to the Promise Realized Capital Campaign for the new East Forest Park Library.
SPRINGFIELD, MA September 9, 2021 – The Springfield Library Foundation is pleased to announce that the six children of former City Solicitor William White and his wife Patricia have joined together to make a $200,000 commitment to the Promise Realized Capital Campaign for the new East Forest Park Library. A formal presentation ceremony with Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno to announce the gift was held at the East Forest Park Branch on September 9.
“On behalf of my sister and brothers, I am grateful that we have this opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to East Forest Park, the wonderful neighborhood where we were raised, and to future generations of Springfield residents,” said Thomas White. “We were so happy when our close family friend Bob Phelan raised the idea of the new library to us. When we came and visited Springfield and toured the new library last fall, my sister Maureen, John, and I were deeply impressed by the quality of the design the thought and care that went into creating such beautiful facilities for children, teens, and families.”
In recognition of the family’s gift, the Library will name the Children’s Place in honor of William and Patricia White. Plans are underway to hold a celebration at the East Forest Park Branch in the fall of 2021 to recognize all donors to the Promise Realized Campaign, at which time donor plaques and room names will be unveiled to the public.
“The Library Foundation wants to express its sincere and heartfelt thanks to the entire family for stepping up with such a generous leadership gift during these extraordinarily challenging times,” said Library Foundation President Patrick Markey. “This commitment demonstrates the strength of the bonds between our City of Springfield and families who have moved away but retain roots here. I hope this gift inspires others to give as well.”
The Whites, who worked closely with the Library Foundation to coordinate and structure the gift believe their parents would be delighted to know that the Children’s Room will bear their names in perpetuity. “Our parents loved raising our family in East Forest Park and they both believed fundamentally in the power of reading and public libraries to transform lives and open doors to opportunity. To be able to play a part in inspiring ongoing generations of children to explore and expand their possibilities through reading would certainly have brought them great joy. Our trip back to Springfield was made more memorable because we were able to meet up with Charlie Ryan, our father’s childhood friend and former law partner, along with Barbara Garvey, also a friend and neighbor. Both Charlie and Barbara have worked tirelessly to make the new library a reality,” commented Maureen White.
According to Matt Blumenfeld, the Library Foundation’s Executive Director, the Promise Realized Campaign has now raised just over $1.65 million toward its $2 million goal to close out the campaign and complete the $9.5 million project.
“While we have paused active fundraising for some time because of the pandemic, we do want to relaunch as soon as conditions warrant,” said Mr. Blumenfeld. “The Foundation has continued to receive contributions for the campaign as well as other purposes, but we remain mindful and respectful of other urgent needs in the community. I am incredibly thankful to the White family for sparking our relaunch with their wonderful philanthropic gift.”
Construction on the 17,000 square foot East Forest Park Branch on Surrey Road was completed in November 2019 and the facility opened with tremendous praise from the community in December. “Usage at East Forest Park Branch skyrocketed before we had to close, and we remain confident that it will continue to grow once we can fully reopen,” said Library Director Molly Fogarty. “Our staff are all grateful to John White and his siblings for this wonderful gift and cannot wait to see the Children’s Room once again full of youngsters and caregivers reading, learning and playing together.”
In addition to the 4,000 square foot Children’s Room, the East Forest Park Branch offers a dedicated Teen area, a Maker Space, a large community meeting room, quiet study rooms, dozens of computer stations, book and media collections, an outdoor patio and reading garden, and ample parking. It is completely accessible to all.
Individuals, businesses and others interested in contributing may contact the Springfield Library Foundation, at promiserealizedcampaign@gmail.com or MBlumenfeld@springfieldlibrary.org for further information. The campaign is accepting pledges for up to five years.
“The Library Foundation has been a strong steward of many gifts large and small, and we intend to continue this legacy far into the future,” said Mr. Markey. “Since 2005, the Foundation has contributed more than $6.5 million to the Springfield City Library, for books and materials, in support of the Mason Square branch, and for staff development and library programs. The Promise Realized Campaign continues this legacy and enables all of us to make a positive contribution to the future of the City of Springfield.”
The Library will circulate internet hotspots for those in the community that do not have internet access at home.
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – May 5TH, 2021 – With the doors still being closed to the public, the Springfield City Library is determined to continue its efforts in maintaining and increasing access to Springfield residents. The Library will start circulating hotspots, effective immediately, for those in the community that do not have internet access at home.
CLICK TO SEE HOTSPOT AVAILABILITY IN THE CATALOG.
The borrowing program will begin slowly, with just six hotspots available at the Central Library, Mason Square and Forest Park Branches. The hotspots are available through curbside pick-up or during open hours.
Any Springfield City Library cardholder can check one out with their library card after signing a borrower’s agreement; patrons under the age of 18 will need a guardian to sign. The hotspots can circulate for 14 days, fine-free, but will stop working after the designated timeframe and must be returned to the location it was originally borrowed from.
The hotspots will come with instructions and library staff will be available to offer troubleshooting tips. Each hotspot supports up to 16 devices.
The Library is very excited to begin offering these hotspots and knows how important they can be. Tom O’Connell, Manager of Tech Services and Collection Development says, “We look around us and, seemingly, everyone already has access to the Internet – and all of the resources that come with it. But it is important to remember that – what most of us take for granted – many in our community still lack. These easy to use devices allow us to provide online access for patrons who would otherwise miss out on utilizing these resources – whether it is to do homework, or apply for a job, or look up a recipe; putting all of this information in their hands is the goal.”
The Springfield City library hopes that a positive response to these devices will lead to an acquisition of many more for each of the branches. Call your neighborhood branch to request a hotspot or dial 413-263-6828, ext. 218.
Founded in 1857, the Springfield City Library provides over 800,000 free print, physical, and digital resources for public enrichment. To learn more, visit www.springfieldlibrary.org
# # #
Watch these fun short videos about each of our 9 locations!
The Springfield City Library joins many organizations across the country in observing the 2021 National Day of Racial Healing on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
SPRINGFIELD, MA — The Springfield City Library joins many organizations across the country, including The American Library Association (ALA) and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, in observing the 2021 National Day of Racial Healing on Tuesday, Jan. 19. On this day, thousands will celebrate our common humanity and take collective action toward a more just and equitable world.
The day was established in 2017 by leaders across the United States who wanted to have a day to take action together. It is a day where people of all ages can come together to (adapted from healourcommunities.org):
Visit our Facebook or Instagram on Tuesday, Jan. 19th for a recorded video storytime read by Children’s Services Supervisor, Ellen Sulzycki, that you can share with your family at your convenience. She will be reading Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham, a picture book about racism and racial justice, inviting white children and parents to become curious about racism, accept that it’s real, and cultivate justice.
We also have additional reading suggestions for all ages:
And here is a guide to help get these very important conversations started:
The American Library Association also has issued a proclamation about the National Day of Racial Healing, which you can read here.
You can see virtual events happening all around the country at this link, including a national livestream event at 3 p.m. ET.
The Springfield City Library is dedicated to continuing its work in these efforts and has ongoing community programming to reflect this.
Molly Fogarty, Library Director, notes that, “The National Day of Racial Healing is one important day, but the Springfield City Library is committed through its programming for all ages, including library collections and programs emphasizing economic and civic engagement, to support the critical work needed for racial healing in our community.” The Director and Board of Library Commissioners previously made a statement affirming the importance of Black Lives, which can also be seen on the library’s website.
Statement from the Library Director and the Springfield Library Commission on Racial Justice
June 5, 2020
On behalf of the Springfield Library Commission and the Library Administration, we are writing to share our personal sense of heartbreak and devastation at the events surrounding the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis. And we join you and the Springfield Community in your grief and justified anger. As we witness repeated episodes of violence and killings perpetrated against our Black Community by rogue police officers, it is impossible not to experience a deep sense of outrage, disbelief and grief. We honor the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many others. We are reaching out to you to share the grief and anger that we know you also feel, but also to reaffirm our common resolve. Both as private citizens and as members of this great institution, we must all do what we can to ensure that we foster a culture of inclusion, equity, and respect for one another. We promise to keep our resolve and strengthen our combined efforts against systemic racism until we can all see that this time justice will prevail and endure. We need to look to each other for strength and hope, and recommit ourselves to our shared goals of making the world a better place for all, especially black and brown people. Now is the time for us to come together as we serve together. Our work has never been more critical. Our concern for each other has never been more important.
We saw a young woman at a recent protest holding a sign with a quote from Angela Davis. It reads, “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept” This quote is a perfect nest of powerful words to reflect about George Floyd’s death and a call to justice. These words beg people and organizations to change this unacceptable and systemic racism.
The Springfield Library Commission cherishes the work that library staff perform to address literacy challenges, the digital divide, to provide a place where everyone can share ideas and gain knowledge. We believe the incredible mission of the Springfield City Library serves as a powerful force to counter many inequities including racism.
The Springfield City Library is proud to have signed the Urban Library Council’s Statement on Race and Social Equity through which we, along with 167 other Urban Libraries have steadfastly committed to:
It is our collective responsibility to examine what we are doing now in light of our commitments that we signed onto, to reevaluate our services and internal culture and to constantly improve and stand with our communities of color.
In the words of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Sincerely,
Stephen Cary: Chair, Springfield Library Commission
Molly Fogarty: Library Director
Molly Fogarty, Director
Springfield City Library – All Yours, Just Ask
220 State St.
Springfield, MA 01103
413-263-6828 ext. 290
lfogarty@springfieldlibrary.org
Stephen Cary
scary@focusspringfield.com
The first lady of the commonwealth was joined by Blades, the mascot of the Boston Bruins hockey team, and by local officials and library patrons.
By Peter Goonan | pgoonan@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD — Lauren Baker, the wife of Gov. Charlie Baker, joined Springfield officials at the new East Forest Park branch library on Friday to help kick off the 13th annual PJ Drive to provide new pajamas to needy children around Massachusetts.
The first lady of the commonwealth was joined by Blades, the mascot of the Boston Bruins hockey team, and by local officials and library patrons.
“Last year we were in Pittsfield, this year we are in Springfield and we are trying to get to all of the commonwealth because there are kids in needs of pajamas everywhere,” Lauren Baker said. “We are trying to make that happen.”
The PJ Drive is sponsored by the Boston Bruins in partnership with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the PJ Drive “will go a long way in helping our children.”
The drive benefits the Department of Children and Families Wonderfund and Cradles to Crayons.
All pajamas donated to the drive will be given to children and teens living in foster care, and local donations benefit local children.
“I’m very excited to have this kick off at our new East Forest Park library,” said Molly Fogarty, the city’s director of libraries. “It’s a really very important effort.”
Read more and see all the great photos here!
The Boston Bruins PJ Drive was held at the new East Forest Park Branch Library in Springfield Friday afternoon.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass (WWLP) – The 13th annual Boston Bruins PJ Drive was held at the new East Forest Park Branch Library in Springfield Friday afternoon.
Massachusetts libraries team up with the Boston Bruins to collect pajamas that will be donated to children and teens living in foster care during February and March. The drive benefits the Department of Children and Families Wonderfund and Cradles to Crayons.
The First Lady of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Lauren Baker, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and Blades the Boston Bruins mascot were all at the kick-off celebration.
“I cannot thank First Lady Lauren Baker enough for all of her contributions to our communities across the Commonwealth, especially to our youths and libraries. In collaboration with our Springfield City Libraries, the Department of Children and Families, and the Boston Bruins, this event will go a long way in helping our children.”
-Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said in a news release sent to 22News