News – Page 2 – Springfield City Library

Springfield library to host Freedom Stories of the Pioneer Valley event (The Reminder)

Stories of Black men and women living in Springfield and the surrounding areas in the 1700s and 1800s will be shared during an upcoming event with Cliff McCarthy, an archivist from the Springfield Museums’ Library and Archives.

PLEASE NOTE: This program has been rescheduled for February 17, 2024 at 11:00 AM. Please register on our event calendar.

January 31, 2024. Full story on The Reminder.

SPRINGFIELD — Stories of Black men and women living in Springfield and the surrounding areas in the 1700s and 1800s will be shared during an upcoming event with Cliff McCarthy, an archivist from the Springfield Museums’ Library and Archives.

The Freedom Stories of the Pioneer Valley will take place on Feb. 3 in the Mason Square Library Branch community room from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Because Springfield Central Library is located on the quad with the museums, there is a close relationship between the two.

Springfield City Library Training and Programming Librarian Elizabeth McKinstry said, “Cliff McCarthy, who works in the library archives over at the history museum has been participating [and] working on research on this for a long time but also participated in this community history project called documenting the early history of Black lives in the Connecticut River Valley.”

McCarthy told Reminder Publishing that he plans to share stories of African American men and women who achieved their freedom in extraordinary ways. “All of them lived locally, but each of these stories reflects an important aspect of our nation’s history regarding Black Americans. I will also be highlighting a recent project that is enabling researchers to learn more about them and others, by diving deep into local archives to find the evidence of their lives,” he said.

This is the first time this event will take place at Springfield, although other area libraries have hosted it in the past.

“It’s all about remembering these people and their stories. When you say their names and tell their stories, we assure their lives will never be forgotten, again,” McCarthy said.

When researching this topic, McCarthy discovered information that interested him. “Jupiter Richards was a patriot who fought in the American Revolution before coming to Springfield and finding work in the Springfield Armory. He was convicted of stealing a small amount of grain and was given a fine by the court, which he couldn’t pay. What happened to him next, will probably break your heart. These stories are extraordinary, often unknown, and give us perspective on the lives of Black people then and now,” he said.

He went on to say that the story that first got him interested in these narratives is the rescue of Angeline Palmer — a story he will not likely tell on Feb. 3. “Angeline was a free-born Black child “bound out” to work in the home of a white Belchertown couple. When the couple moved to [the] state of Georgia, they planned to take Angeline with them and sell her into slavery. The scheme was discovered by some young men in Amherst, who went to Belchertown and snatched her from her home and sent her into hiding. The young men were convicted and did time in the Northampton jail, but never disclosed her whereabouts,” McCarthy said.

In addition to this event, McKinstry said Maggie Keane, a reference librarian at the Central Library, has been doing an “extremely popular” series of local history events. At the East Forest Park Branch Library, Keane shared the history of a Springfield female bootlegger during the time of prohibition.

McKinstry noted that there will be an event in March about the history of women’s basketball and in April, there is an event like the Freedom Stories of the Pioneer Valley, which shares genealogy ancestry about connecting to your roots.

“The library is for everybody,” McKinstry said. “We reflect that in our history programs and we’re very excited to be doing more presentations on local history and genealogy because people love that and we encourage them to come to the library.”

At the Springfield Central Library in particular, McKinstry said they offer help for people looking for information on local history and have “a good collection” and librarians that specialize in helping people in requests looking for that information.

During February — Black History Month — there will be an author event that takes place every Thursday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Brightwood Branch. The series — designed for children and their parents — will include stories and poetry.

In terms of adult programming, the Freedom Stories of the Pioneer Valley is the largest event.

To learn more, visit springfieldlibrary.org/library.

City Officials Meet to Discuss ongoing plans for Renovations and Expansion of East Springfield Library Branch

The Springfield City Library has submitted a grant application with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners to expand and renovate the branch.

01/30/2024:

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, City Council President Attorney Michael Fenton, Health and Human Services (HHS) Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Parks, Buildings and Recreational Management (PBRM) Executive Director Patrick Sullivan, Capital Assets and Construction Director Peter Garvey, My-Ron Hatchett, Senior Project Manager, Springfield Library Director Molly Fogarty, and Board of Library Commission Chair Stephen Cary met today to discuss ongoing plans for the renovation and expansion of the East Springfield neighborhood library branch. The Springfield City Library has submitted a grant application with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC).

Mayor Sarno states, “I want to thank Council President Attorney Michael Fenton and East Springfield Neighborhood Council President Kathy Brown for expressing their support to renovate and expand our East Springfield neighborhood library branch. I am proud of the fact that while other communities have consolidated their local library branches, my administration has worked hard with our local stakeholders and partnerships to not only renovate our neighborhood library branches but to build new and expand them as well. My dedicated team, including HHS Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, PBRM Director Patrick Sullivan, the Capital Assets and Construction team of Peter Garvey and My-Ron Hatchett, and our dedicated Library team of Director Molly Fogarty and Board Chair Stephen Cary, are working closely with the MBLC to support our grant application to help fund this important project.”

“Neighborhood library branches are an integral part of our community. They support not only much-needed library programs and reading for residents and students, but also serve as a place for our community to gather and meet for various programs and initiatives. Our East Springfield Library branch has been providing successful and popular library services for our community since 1934. The East Springfield Library Branch plays an important role as a community center for educational and cultural programs, as well as a social gathering for our students and the community. It is a hub for free access to information and technology, social and civic engagement and personal enrichment and lifelong learning. We are hopeful that the MBLC will support our application so that we can enhance this neighborhood learning center so that it can serve our community for another 100 years,” added Mayor Sarno.

Teen Mental Health Survey

We want you to tell us how we can help! Survey will stay open until Feb 10, 2024.

Springfield City Library is trying to expand how we can help teens and young adults between the ages of 14-24 with mental health care!

Would you like to see a peer group once a month to be able to talk about things that might be bothering you? Would you like a free yoga class? A chance to create and display art to express yourself! You are the boss! You tell us!

take the survey here

Springfield officials take steps to improve 91-year-old East Springfield Library branch (Masslive.com)

The city will upgrade the East Springfield Library, saying the busy branch has not seen major improvements since it opened in 1932.

SPRINGFIELD – The city will upgrade the East Springfield Library, saying the busy branch has not seen major improvements since it opened in 1932.

“We want to make sure our library has the capacity to serve the community for the next 30 years,” said Kathy Brown, president of the East Springfield Neighborhood Council.

The council started talking about rebuilding or expanding and renovating the building on Osborne Terrace around 2014, but the first community meeting to start the process was held around 2019. That came just as the new $9.5 million East Forest Park Library, built with the help of a $4.9 million state grant, was completed.

Springfield City Library officials last week petitioned the City Council for approval to apply for a Massachusetts Public Library construction grant that will help pay for the project. It also requested a $150,000 transfer from the city’s capital project fund to cover initial planning costs.

“It doesn’t meet the standards of a 21st-century library. We can’t provide the services that we can provide at other libraries,” said Molly Fogarty, director of the Springfield library system.

It is the only Springfield library that has never seen substantial renovations and it needs them. It measures about 3,000 square feet on two levels, but the only level that is accessible to the disabled is 2,200 square feet, she said.

‘Over a decade’

“The neighborhood has been working on this for over a decade,” said City Councilor Michael Fenton, who represents the East Springfield area. “It requires substantial improvements and maintenance. It is the library that probably has received the least improvements in the city.”

Brown said the library, located in the middle of a residential neighborhood and between the busy streets of Carew and Page Boulevard, gets a lot of use.

Libraries are far more today than just books, she said. The neighborhood needs enough space for computers for adults and students who want a place to do homework. It also needs a private meeting room and an area for remote meetings and children’s programming.

The council is asking people to fill out a survey about what the library needs to offer now. It can be found online at tinyurl.com/surveyESB. There are paper forms available at the branch, but Brown encouraged people to answer the survey online if possible because it saves members from having to type in the answers.

Planning is in the preliminary stages, so no decisions have been made on the project, including whether the building should be renovated and expanded, torn down and replaced or a new one constructed in a different location.

The City Council voted 13-0 on both proposals that would start the process to improve the library.

“This is a great project, the neighborhood really deserves it,” City Councilor Tracye Whitfield said.

Springfield residents meet candidates ahead of municipal election (WWLP)

Election season is here for the city of Springfield, and Wednesday night residents had the chance to get to know the candidates a little better.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Election season is here for the city of Springfield, and Wednesday night residents had the chance to get to know the candidates a little better.

The Springfield City Library hosted the meet-and-greet for candidates in Springfield’s municipal election. This as early voting is currently underway for the preliminary election for mayor, city council at-large, and Ward 6.

Voters there telling us its important to make future city leaders accessible to residents. “They can come here and talk to the incumbent and somebody running against the incumbent, and say “how are you going to address this situation in my neighborhood?” And they can decide for themselves who will represent them better,” says Assistant Director for Public Services at Springfield City Library, Jean Canosa Albano.

The preliminary election for Springfield is Tuesday, September 12th.

Click through to watch the video!

Meet & Greet Candidates for Mayor and City Council

The Springfield City Library is partnering with the City’s Election Commission to offer residents an opportunity to meet candidates for local elections.

SPRINGFIELD, MA – AUGUST 2023 – The Springfield City Library is partnering with the City’s Election Commission to offer residents an opportunity to meet candidates for local elections. Participants can bring their concerns, ask questions, and hear directly from candidates at the free event planned for the Mason Square Branch Library, located at 765 State Street in Springfield, on Wednesday, August 30th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The library will be closed for regular business but the doors on State Street and Monroe Street will be open for attendees to access the branch’s community room.

While at the event, people can also check their voter status, find out where their polling place is and register to vote. The program is timed to allow people to get registered before the deadline for the September 12th preliminary election; municipal elections are scheduled for November 7th.

“Typically, most of the attention is paid to November elections. But some races have drawn so many candidates that there is a preliminary election for those seats. The outcome in September for those races will determine which candidates will make it onto the ballot in November, making this event a critical one for voters to speak one-on-one with the candidates and choose among them. As former President Barack Obama recently noted in an open letter to library workers across the nation, libraries ‘provide spaces where people can come together, share ideas, participate in community programs, and access essential civic and educational resources. Together, library workers help people become informed and active citizens, capable of making this country what they want it to be.’ This is the goal of the Meet the Candidates event,” said Assistant Director for Public Services Jean Canosa Albano, leader of the Springfield City Library’s Civic and Community Engagement Team.

Partnering with Springfield City Clerk and Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola means that this event can be one-stop shopping for residents: learn about all the races and the candidates, and make sure you are registered to vote at the same time. Oyola added: “We will run a mock election at the event so voters can practice filling out a mock ballot and feeding it into the voting machine. We want everyone to feel comfortable when they go to the polls on September 12th.”

If you are working on a campaign and haven’t responded yet or missed the invitation, please contact Jean Canosa Albano at 413-263-6828, ext. 291.

Founded in 1857, the Springfield City Library provides nearly 5000 educational and recreational programs per year. To learn more, visit www.springfieldlibrary.org.

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For more information on this event, visit our Facebook page!

Springfield high school yearbooks available online (WWLP)

The free catalog offers Springfield high school yearbooks dating back as far as the 1900s. Since August 2022, the library has collected more than 400 yearbook donations.

Check out the story from WWLP

July 18, 2023:

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Springfield City Library launched its high school yearbooks online.

The free catalog offers Springfield high school yearbooks dating back as far as the 1900s. Since August 2022, the library has collected more than 400 yearbook donations.

If you have a yearbook from Springfield, consider donating it to be digitalized in the library’s archive. According to the Springfield City Library’s website, the following high school yearbooks have not yet been donated:

Conservatory of the Arts
John J. Duggan Academy
Liberty Preparatory Academy
Pope Francis Catholic School
Springfield High School (1828-1840)
Springfield High School of Science and Technology (1996-present)
Springfield Public Day High School
The Springfield Renaissance School

Reference Librarian Maggie Keane said, “We’ve received over 400 yearbook donations, with around 250 unique items – the response has been tremendous! But it won’t end there – we’re still actively seeking donations, especially from later decades and missing years. We’ve also learned a lot about digitizing collections with Digital Commonwealth, and look forward to adding more local Springfield materials over time.”

Collecting the yearbooks from members of the community has proven to be a very heartwarming and nostalgic experience for everyone involved and the librarians working on the project have enjoyed hearing the stories behind why people chose to donate either their own yearbooks or yearbooks of loved ones.

Deborah Smith of Springfield donated to the library’s collecting stating, “As someone who has done a lot of genealogy research over the years, I know how helpful, and interesting, high school yearbooks can be. I was most pleased to donate two books from the 1940’s that belonged to my late husband’s aunts, and hope they prove useful to someone.”

Candyce Carlon, of Rochester NH, sent the library her mother’s yearbooks in the mail. “My mom loved her time at Technical High School, and she would be thrilled to know that the yearbooks she treasured could contribute to your project.”

Robert Sarnacki, of West Springfield, donated the 1963 Tech Tiger yearbook that belonged to his brother Tom. “I was happy to hear I could donate the yearbook, rather than it ending up chopped up somewhere. I always figured someone somewhere could get some use out of it. I would be a terrible waste not to do what the library is doing.”

A man in France was looking for his mother’s 1931 graduation photo from her senior yearbook from the High School of Commerce, he said, “Seeing my mother’s image, as well as her many school activities, brought tears to my eyes.”

Additional high school memorabilia is on display at the Central Library located at 220 State Street in Springfield including early edition yearbooks, class photos, newspaper articles, varsity letters, class superlatives, and more.

Visit Springfield MA High School Yearbooks to see the collection

Mayor Sarno supports Springfield Library Foundation Promise Realized Capital Campaign Event at East Forest Park Branch

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno continues to support the Springfield Library Foundation’s Promise Realized Capital Campaign for the East Forest Park Branch Library.

June 23, 2023:

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno continues to support the Springfield Library Foundation’s Promise Realized Capital Campaign for the East Forest Park Branch Library.

Mayor Sarno states, “My administration is proud to continue to support our beautiful neighborhood library system. I am extremely proud of the fact that even during these surreal and challenging times, while other communities have consolidated their local libraries, my administration has not only kept our neighborhood library sites open but we have expanded their hours of operations, programs offered and even built a brand-new state-of-the-art East Forest Park Library Branch for our residents. This could not have been accomplished with the great efforts from our Springfield Library Foundation and all of our sponsors and benefactors. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all who continue to support our beautiful Springfield Public Libraries.”

“We are fortunate to have the Foundation in our corner, and their support is instrumental in providing our residents with a world class library system. I know that the Foundation continues to seek donations and pledges for the Promise Realized Campaign, and I would encourage everyone who is capable, to continue to give as generously as they can.”

Construction on the 17,000 square foot building on Surrey Road was completed in November 2019 and the facility opened with tremendous praise and fanfare from the community in December.

The East Forest Park Library branch offers a Family and Children’s Room, 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 and also connected to the nearby Mary A. Dryden Veterans Memorial School via a special path for children.

Individuals, businesses and others interested in contributing may contact the Foundation, at promiserealizedcampaign@gmail.com or MBlumenfeld@springfieldlibrary.org for further information.

About the Springfield Library Foundation

The Springfield Library Foundation was formed in 2005 and is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt, not-for-profit corporation organized and operated exclusively for the benefit of the Springfield City Library. The Foundation has two primary purposes:

To responsibly steward and manage endowed and other funds entrusted to the Foundation’s care by donors going back more than a century.
To encourage philanthropy and raise new funds, both restricted and unrestricted, in support of the Library’s programs, materials, services, and facilities.

Fulfilling these two purposes enriches the lives of every library patron, and ensures that Springfield’s library system remains vibrant and responsive to community needs. To learn more, visit http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/library/about/promise-realized/.

Check out the story at WWLP

Mayor Sarno Celebrates National Library Week at Mason Square Library Branch

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno joined with Springfield City Library Director Molly Fogarty, Assistant Director for Public Services Jean M. Canosa Albano, and the dedicated staff of the Mason Square Library Branch to celebrate National Library Week on Wednesday, April 26th.

April 26, 2023:

Mayor Sarno states, “My administration is proud to celebrate and recognize National Library Week at our local Mason Square neighborhood library branch to highlight the essential and important role our neighborhood libraries play in our community. They serve as a place to learn, where the community can gather, and hold numerous events and programs to support and enhance the quality of life in our community. I want to encourage every resident to stop by and visit and support your local neighborhood library and thank a library worker for everything they do.”

Make sure to visit your library this week, or even check out a new library you’ve never been to. Find all Springfield library locations and hours here: https://www.springfieldlibrary.org/…/locations-and-hours/

We can all show gratitude to a Springfield City Library worker who “shines” by nominating a stellar library worker for the American Library Association‘s Galaxy of Stars by completing a brief nomination form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SubmitAStarforNLWD

Mayor Sarno states, “Our libraries and library employees are truly a wonderful and valuable resource for our community. From the leadership with Director Molly Fogarty and Deputy Director Jean Canosa Albano to each and every member of our library staff, we are extremely proud and grateful for our library system across the city and the important role they play in our community. This week especially, let us all take a moment to recognize how important our libraries and library employees are to our Springfield. They have so much to offer – remember, it’s all yours, just ask!”

Mayor Sarno Recognizes our Springfield City Libraries During National Library Week

April 24th marks National Library Workers Day. Thank you to all our dedicated Springfield Library workers for your tremendous service.

April 25, 2023:

Happy Library Workers Day!

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and the City of Springfield are proud to join with Library Director Molly Fogarty, Deputy Director Jean Canosa Albano and our Springfield City Library team to celebrate National Library Week this year from April 23 – 29, 2023. Make sure to visit your library this week, or even check out a new library you’ve never been to. Find all Springfield library locations and hours here: Locations and Hours – Springfield City Library (springfieldlibrary.org)

There is a lot to celebrate when it comes to our libraries which are a hub for free access to information and technology, social and civic engagement, and support of personal enrichment, well-being, and lifelong learning. Today, April 24^th, marks National Library Workers Day. Thank you to all our dedicated Springfield Library workers for your tremendous service. We can all show gratitude to a Springfield City Library worker who “shines” by nominating a stellar library worker for the American Library Association’s Galaxy of Stars by completing a brief nomination form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SubmitAStarforNLWD