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Fletcher School Council

1/28/1997

In attendance: Leonora Jennings, Charlotte Watson Knight, Maureen Nistal, Lisa Van Vleck, Koreen McQuilton, Mary Ann Sardonis, Joan Downey, Paul Keplin, Maria Bermudez, Abilio Bacai, Patricia Bradshaw with Ted Burton of Library 21

To provide access to all the people of Cambridge and to insure that we manage our resources well, Library 21 is gathering information from as many groups as possible about what the people want.

What would you like in the library?

A. Community Activity Center

  • Community based, safe place for children." "Very important that all branches of library serve as an after-school,

  • Meeting rooms at library for teachers/parent meetings, etc. "Would like to have scheduled public access to

  • Programs and events," "Publicize more about library"

  • Discussion room with screen

  • Family activities at library like movies, etc." Schedule more

  • Auditorium or smaller screening rooms

B. Community Information Center

C. Formal Education Support Center

  • Sharing and coordination between public library and school libraries

  • Resource sharing between school and public libraries

  • Library skills taught to students- coordinate between public and school libraries

  • High school library and public library need to develop connections

  • Facilitate use of public library as extension of classroom

  • Public librarians working with school children and teachers and aware of need of both children and teachers

  • Visits to public library by teachers/students scheduled and organized

D. Independent Learning Center

E. Popular Materials Lending Library

  • Foreign language films

  • TV or film viewing at library

  • Discussion after scheduled viewing of TV or film: critical discussion

  • Access to library catalog by Internet

  • Delivery to school of materials ordered by Internet

F. Childs Door to Learning

  • Summer reading program expanded to all branches

  • Schedule more events at branches

G. Reference Library

H. Research Center

I. Other- important functions missing from list

  • Branches, don’t close

  • User friendly: make library more user friendly

  • Parking at every branch

  • Community based connection to library services is important

  • Equity important: same service at branches as at main library

  • Valente/Harrington is easiest branch for our students from Fletcher to access on their own

  • Central Square and Main branch require Fletcher students to be escorted by their parents

  • Air conditioned place to go

  • Broadway location is O.K. because access to high school, bus lines,

  • Inviting, make library more inviting

  • Young adult area and collection needs to be improved

  • Stacks more user friendly

  • Green space at library is nice

  • Plant more trees if expansion is built

  • Homeless people sometimes create problems- barrier to going in to library

  • Parking is important at the Broadway location

  • Accessibility by car is important

  • Two main branches are possible

  • Access to Broadway from Harvard T stop is difficult for some

  • Shuttle service to take people to library from Harvard T

  • Branches, make branches more accessible

  • Delivery to branches should be arranged

  • Reserve book by telephone and have it delivered to branches

J. An Important Civic Building

  • Historic building at Broadway is good