The library FY25 Budget slideshow is available. The will be updated as needed.
TIP: If the page numbers are not visible, hover your mouse over the left hand bottom corner for the page numbers and forward and backward arrows.
May 2, 2024 - The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute has relaunched MassLegalHelp.org.
MassLegalHelp.org:
MassLegalHelp has information for Massachusetts residents who are facing legal issues such as...
· their landlord is refusing to make repairs or is evicting them.
· they were denied SNAP benefits and want to know how to appeal.
· they need to get a domestic violence restraining order.
· they want to know their rights if ICE detains them.
· they have questions about getting their CORI sealed
These are just a few of many examples! Explore more at MassLegalHelp.org.
Note: MassLegalHelp does not offer legal advice or answer individual legal questions.
PAXTON, MA - The Richards Memorial Library will be closed on Saturday, May 25, 2024. The libary is closed on Saturdays when Monday is a holiday so that eligibile staff may receive the paid holidays alotted to town employees.
Please note: There will be no interlibrary loan delivery on Monday, May 27, 2024, per the Massaschusetts Library System (MLS).
PAXTON, MA - Starting on May 1, 2024, library patrons will be able to eRenew their expiring library cards through their CW Mars library account. The renewal button will only be visible when your account is about to expire. In order to verify library cardholder information and changes, CW Mars accounts expire every two year. Your library card number will not change.*
Exceptions:
Library account types eligible for eRenewal include:
Excluded from eRnew:
You may update the following:
*Addresses will be cross-checked and verified against the same USPS service used for eCard registration. If the address is not a verified, residential address, then the eRenewal will fail, and the patron will have to renew their card at the library. Physical (Home) address is limited to just MA residential addresses. Mailing addresses may be in other states.
Reminder: Our new CW Mars catalog address is Paxton.cwmars.org.
PAXTON, MA - The Richards Memorial Library has been selected as one of 310 libraries to participate in round two of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities.
The competitive award comes with a $10,000 grant that will help the library continue and finish the Sensory Room Project.
“We are so honored to be chosen again for this amazing opportunity,” said Library Director Pam Chenevert. “This second round of funding will provide our library with an additional grant to help us continue what we started in the first round.”
As part of the grant, the library director will then host additional conversations with residents about sensory processing and use the grant funds to create and outfit a sensory room for children.
Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.
Read the ALA announcement here.
PAXTON, MA - Gutters by Mac will be starting the replacement of the gutters today. The existing gutters had become non-functional and were in need of replacement. The Town Administrator and Chief Procurement Officer, Heather Munroeand the Library Director worked together to send this project out to bid through CommBuys. The Board of Trustees approved this project in the fall of 2023. The entire cost of the gutter replacement will be paid from the Richards Memorial Trust Fund. No taxpayer dollars will be used to fund this necessary project.
PAXTON, MA - FRG Contracor has completed the roof repairs Gutter work should start soon. Again, we expect little no disruption to library services. Gutters by Mac won a bid posted by the Town Administrator/Chief Procurement Officer Heather Munroe. The Board of Trustees previously approved that lowest bid.
PAXTON, MA
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners announced the Richards Memorial Library in Paxton “meets the full requirements for the FY24 State Aid to Public Libraries Program” and will be receiving a grant in the amount of $14073.28, disbursed in two payments of 7,036.64, one in December of 2023 and the second in “late March or early April” of 2024.
The Richards Memorial Library in Paxton achieved certification by meeting the required minimum library standards. The library met the Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR). MAR is covered by Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L., c.78, s.19 A) which “states that a municipality must appropriate a figure of at least the average of the last 3 years' municipal appropriations to the library for operations, increased by 2.5%, in order to be certified for State Aid to Public Libraries” (State Aid MAR).
Additionally, 19% of the library’s budget must be spent on library materials. This percentage changed when Paxton's population growth moved the library from the 2,000 - 4,999 range into the 5,000 - 9,999 range. The library appreciates our patrons’ continuing support as we enter the FY25 budget season.
The library also maintains certification by opening a minimum number of hours including evening hours, lending to all eligible patrons in Massachusetts, not charging for library services.
In order to receive this grant, the library director submits multiple surveys of detailed statistics including circulation, town budget funding, hours, program statistics, salaries, and materials expenditures, staffing,
The announcement was made at the MBLC’s monthly board meeting on December 7, 2023.
PAXTON, MA - Roof work on the low slope roofs is scheduled to begin the first week of January 2024. The Board of Library Trustees and the Historic Commisson approved this work in the fall of 2023. The cost of the roof repairs will be paid for through insurance and through the Richcards Memorial Library Trust Fund. No taxpayer dollars will be used for this neccessary repair project.
We are expecting to be open our regular hours barring unforseen circumstances.
UPDATE: We will inform you when the roof work begins.
PAXTON, MA - The Richards Memorial Library is pleased to announce that we have received a grant in the amount of $475 from the Paxton Cultural Council for a Wingmasters: Birds of Prey program. The program will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2024 from 11am to noon. Registration will open in March of 2024.
Julie Anne Collier and Jim Parks are Wingmasters and they are dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation of North American birds of prey are both licensed raptor rehabilitators based in Massachusetts.Together they care for injured birds of prey. Most of the birds they rehabilitate can ultimately be released back into the wild, but in some cases the birds are left permanently handicapped. Julie and Jim are further licensed to provide a home for these non releasable raptors, and to use them for educational programs. Since 1994, Wingmasters has presented over 5,000 programs at schools, libraries and museums throughout New England.
"They present one of my favorite and most educational programs," said Pam Chenevert, Library Director. "I have attended hundreds of library programs, both as a patron, and as a librarian, and Wingmasters is top-notch. Thank you to the Paxton Cultural Council, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council for supporting the library's mission to bring educational programming to the library."
For more information about Wingmasters, please visit their website http://www.wingmasters.net.
For more information about the Paxton Cultural Council, please visit their website https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/paxton.
PAXTON, MA - The Richards Memorial Library is pleased to announce that we have received a grant in the amount of $950 to help defray the cost of museum passes for various cultural institutions.The library director, Pam Chenevert, applied for the grant earlier this fall. Senator Stephen M. Brewer (Served 1997-2014) visited the library to present the check from the Barre Savings Charitable Foundation, Inc. Brewer also currently serves at the Barre Savings Charitable Foundation Chair.
"Thank you Barre Savings Charitable Foundation and Senator Stephen M. Brewer for this generous donation which helps us continue to provide popular museum passes to our library patrons," Pam Chenevert said.
The library's museum passes are available to all adult (18+) library patrons with a CWMars account in good standing (owing less than $10 in fines). Click here for a full list of museum passes.
UPDATE: January 31, 2024: The grant will also cover the cost of the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill which is set to expire in March of 2024.
CW Mars will be streamlining their communication regarding renewal notices.
Currently: You receive an email courtesy notice two days before an item is due and a second notice on the due date stating status of the auto-renewal.
The body of the notice will also separate items into the two categories, with items failing to renew listed first.
For failed renewals, please either return the library on or before the due date, or contact the library at (508) 754-0793 to request an extension or return the item. Please note, extending items past the failed renewal is at the discretion of the library.
October 13, 2023 (planned)
Items renewed prior to their due date will now renew based on the due date instead of the date of renewal. This will ensure patrons or staff who renew items early do not miss out on the full renewal timeframe.
Note that this will not affect renewals performed on overdue circulations, which will still be calculated from the date of renewal.
New Year's Day*
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day*
President's Day*
Patriots Day*
Memorial Day*
Juneteenth**
July 4th**
Labor Day*
Columbus Day*
Veterans Day**
Thanksgiving**
Christmas *
*The library is closed Saturdays when Monday is a holiday.
**The library is closed on holidays observed by Town of Paxton.
Open Tues. & Thurs. 1pm-8pm, Wed. & Fri. 9am-5pm, Sat. 10am-2pm (closed Saturdays when Monday is a holiday)
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