PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The library trustees accepted a Public Library Association digital literacy workshop incentive grant in the amount of $7,000. 

 

"This is a cohort of 160 libraries nationally who are using the shared curriculum to provide digital literacy classes, workshops for the community. So this grant is in the amount of $7,000 that can be used toward these workshops," Berkshire Athenaeum Director Alex Reczkowski said. 

 

Libraries across the nation have been receiving more challenges on the materials the provide and although he hasn’t seen much pushback on content here, Reczkowski felt it was important the board have a conversation on the topic. 

 

Most of these material challenges have centered around LGBTQ titles, or representations in books, he said.

 

Berkshire Athenaeum did have one patron concerned about a children's book regarding the 1921 Tulsa, Okla., race massacre. 

 

This book is well publicized and was written for children and was a Coretta Scott King Award winner. 

 

Reczkowski said there was a conversation with the patron to explain why this book is on the shelf. It can be difficult and uncomfortable to talk about sensitive topics and books are a great way of providing a foundation for these tougher conversations, he said.

 

"One thing that I can say is, I think that we've worked really hard to create an inclusive and welcoming environment," he said. 

 

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and Massachusetts Library System has been providing training or workshops to talk about these challenges. 

 

The board also approved American historian and author Richard Snow's request to use the 1847 portrait of Herman Melville in its collection in his new book that will be published by Scrivener Publishing.

 

The book will be on the 1842 mutiny on the U.S.S. Somers, the last mutiny in the Navy. One of the officers on the Somers was Lt. Guert Gansevoort, a cousin of Melville's. There are no portraits of Gansevoort but, said Reczkowski, "it is said he and his first cousin Herman looked very much alike that they could have been twins."

 

In other news, 

 

• The library is no longer doing its Food For Fines event because it no longer has fines, however, it has partnered with Downtown Pittsfield Inc. food drive. 

 

• The library got a grant through the Boston Children's Museum for a collaboration it is doing with the Berkshire Museum.

 

• The library filed the final report for a state grant for a preservation assessment. 

 

• An environmental scan using a sensor in each of three areas of the library is constantly checking the temperature, humidity, and light UV rays to make recommendations for changes.

 

• The library is working with literacy volunteers to make office space for the city social worker. Also, starting Nov. 7, Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity will have one of its community navigators at the library on Mondays from 9 a.m. until noon and Wednesdays from 11 until 2.

 

"This is somebody who knows about all of the services available in the community, and will be able to talk more to folks, spend some more one on one time, and hopefully help connect people to resources in a little bit deeper way than our staff are really able to do," Reczkowski said. 

 

The library's planning committee is still scrubbing through the data that it received from its community survey. The committee has already consolidated the results and turned it into a strategic plan with values, a vision, and goal, and is assessing action steps.

 

The survey reached those who are attached to the library but their plan for the future is to build more relationships in the community to reach those who are not attached to the library. 

 

• The library’s nominating committee is continuing to build a relationship with some of the members of Latinas 413, who do a book group at the library.  The committee is hoping that the cultivation of that relationship might lead to potential interest in the board.

 

• The library announced that its new young adult librarian May Ramirez started on Nov. 2. It is also in the process of  checking references to make an offer for a local history supervisor position.

 

• The library's negotiating committee held its initial meeting on Nov. 1 when it dealt primarily with procedural matters. Their next meeting is Nov. 29.