Latest News now directly on Library Web Site

The web site for the Dartmouth Public Libraries went live as a WordPress.org web site on July 2, 2008. Our latest news and activities will publish directly at Dartmouthpubliclibraries.org. Please come on by and visit.

Library Opens Late Monday June 16th

Clean up from a small electrical fire in the library on June 15th will delay the opening of the building today. The library opened at 1:30 pm.

Standard Times Article about the fire.

Wild Reads at Southworth Library – “The ADULT Version”

This summer, for the first time, adults and young adults are invited to join a summer reading club at Southworth Library. The theme this summer is “Wild Reads at the Dartmouth Library.” To participate, just fill out a short registration form at the library, pick up a punch card, and start reading. For every 30 minutes that you read, mark off an X on your punch card. When you have read for 6 hours and marked off all 12 Xs, print your name and phone number on the card and drop it into our Wild Reads container. Cards will be drawn from the container to award restaurant gift certificates to lucky summer readers. You may enter a card for every 6 hours of reading, including reading newspapers, magazines, cereal boxes, etc. Keep track of your reading this summer and the library may treat you to dinner!

Expanded Library Hours Start in July

Beginning with our new fiscal year in July 2008, we are able to increase our hours thanks to the voter support in the April election.
New Hours:

Monday through Thursday 9:00a.m.-8:00p.m.

Friday and Saturday 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m.

Please note the library will be closed the first Friday and Saturday in July for the Independence Day Holiday.

Bucks for Books Reaches the Goal!

Through the dedicated efforts of numerous contributors and fund-raising events, Bucks for Books has just reached the goal to raise $57,000 by the end of June 2008. Last July our materials budget was reduced to  half of the previous year and the target amount of $57,000 was the total needed for us to remain certified with the state. Since last summer, library users have regularly made cash donations to our donation boxes on the Circulation Counter and have written generous checks to benefit our library materials budget shortfall this fiscal year. Big events such as yard sales, the Patriots Football Raffle, Murder Mystery Theater and the Mini-Golf in the Library Tournament also made giant strides towards the goal. Million thanks to everyone for their generosity and support.

Yard Sale/Bake Sale Fundraiser for the Library

The library will hold a yard sale and bake sale to raise money for Bucks for Books from 9 am to 1 pm on Friday May 2nd and Saturday May 3rd in the Southworth Library Haskell Auditorium. Donations are welcome and can be dropped off at the library April 28th through April 30th between 9 am and 8 pm. No clothing, stuffed animals or electronics.

Customer Service Survey to Shape New Hours and Services

Your feedback is important to us. We are currently conducting a survey to help us in providing services in the FY09 budget cycle which begins July 1, 2008. Printed copies of the survey are available in the library and an online version of the survey is also available.

The survey asks you about additional hours you would like us to open – mornings, evenings or Sunday afternoons. It asks you what types of programs you would enjoy such as computer training, book clubs at different times of the day and speaker programs. It also asks if you would like an in-house browsing only collection of magazines to offset the current policy of allowing the newest issues of magazines to immediately circulate.

We invite our feedback and input as we prepare to implement a budget for this July through next June that restores our funding to more normal levels.

Positive Dartmouth Town Election Results for the Library

On April 1, 2008, a Dartmouth Town Election was held concerning Prop. 2 1/2 override questions, a debt exclusion question and seats in town government such as Select Board and School Committee. The election’s outcome carried much significance for the public library because the outcome of the election would ultimately determine the likelihood of the library retaining its certification. The library-specific override question in the menu approach to requests was successful.

Question 2: Passes

Shall the Town of Dartmouth be allowed to assess an additional $89,874 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the Public Library for library books, materials, and for operational costs for the Southworth Library, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008.

Yes: 4,681

No: 4,186

The other override question which involved the library was the general government question. If that question did not pass, three professional librarians and a custodian would have been laid off. This question also passed.

Question 5: Passes

Shall the Town of Dartmouth be allowed to assess an additional $1,511,405 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the operating budgets of the Town for the following categories: Public Safety (which includes Animal Control, Building Department, Emergency Management Agency, Parking Control, Sealer of Weights and Measures, Street Lights and Traffic Lights), Department of Public Works, Veterans’ Services, Health and Sanitation, Council on Aging, General Government, Libraries, and Park & Recreation, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008.

Yes: 5,006

No: 3,839

The final election issue related to the library was the debt exclusion question. If that question passed, the library’s roof would have been repaired, a heating/ventilation system would have been replaced and the parking lot would have been resurfaced. This question did not pass.

Question 7: Fails

Shall the Town of Dartmouth be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to fund the costs of (i) Department of Public Works Road Reconstruction and Garage Building Expansion, (ii) Southworth Library Roof Replacement, Heating Venting and Air Conditioning System replacement and Parking Lot resurfacing, (iii) Police Department Parking Lot resurfacing, (iv) Town Hall and Office Buildings Renovations including energy efficient mechanical system upgrades, (v) Public Schools Window Replacement and (vi) Elevator Installation at the Quinn Elementary School, including all costs incidental and related thereto?

Yes: 4,184

No: 4,603

Thank-you to all the voters who came out in support of the library. Our aim is to serve you and we are now much better equipped to continue striving to achieve excellence in meeting the community’s informational needs.

Boston Globe Editorial on Dartmouth Library Privatization

On Tuesday March 25th, the Boston Globe contains an editorial on the subject of privatizing the Dartmouth and Tewksbury Public Libraries. A committee in town is investigating possible town services that could go private and has included the public library for consideration. The editorial states,

“FACED WITH tight budgets, the towns of Dartmouth and Tewksbury are thinking about privatizing their libraries. The impulse is understandable, given anemic revenues and spiraling costs. But libraries should remain wholly public entities. Libraries serve as the heart and mind of their communities, welcoming preschool children to the world of reading and connecting adults to books, movies, music and the vast reaches of the Internet. They aren’t as vital as police or fire services, but neither are they as easily outsourced as park maintenance or garbage collection.”

Read the entire editorial.

Q&A Session on the Ballot Questions

Drop-In Q&A Session on Ballot Questions with Dartmouth Town Officials
Representatives will be on hand from the Town of Dartmouth to answer questions related to the Public Safety, Dept. of Public Works, Veteran Services, Health and Sanitation, Council on Aging, General Government, Park and Recreation, Schools and the Library.

• Southworth Library Haskell Auditorium
• Monday March 31, 2008
• Anytime between 2 pm and 6 pm

• Be an informed voter.
• Get a sample of the ballot before you vote.
•  Read it over and ask any questions you may have.