The trustees of the MN Spear Memorial Library are happy to announce that on Tuesday, June 28, the town voted to fund a new library in Shutesbury.
Getting to this point has been the work of many hands for many years. We thank the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, especially their building specialists, for creative thinking about how best to support new libraries in small towns in the commonwealth. We thank the town’s Finance Committee and Select Board for their steadfast support. We thank the Friends of the Library, who over the past decade have raised more than $300,000 through giving days, bake sales, yard sales, collecting bottles and cans for recycling, even sprucing up people’s yards in the spring in exchange for new library donations. It is truly inspiring to witness their strength and commitment of purpose.
We thank our Library Director, Mary Anne Antonellis, who after the town decided against funding a new library in 2011 went right on with her work making library services more creative, available, and valuable to townspeople. Thanks to Mary Anne, the town has received grants to fund fitness classes, kayaks at Lake Wyola, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) programs for children, and so much more. We know Mary Anne will be thankful when the library is all in one place, rather than taking over her dining room and garage.
Finally, we thank the voters of Shutesbury. It has been a long journey and at times a contentious one. Core supporters of the new library will continue to work hard to raise more funds and help contain construction costs. Our new library will have flush toilets and running water and will be fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Now that the town has made this momentous decision, we hope that everyone here will feel welcomed and celebrated at the town’s new library.
Kate Cell
Shutesbury
This letter is written on behalf of the trustees of the MN Spear.
