In 1887 a small group of people from Becket met "to maintain a library, reading room, and to promote education, temperance, morality, good citizenship and the general welfare". The incorporation papers were signed by the secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on March 8, 1888, establishing the Becket Athenaeum, Inc. A board of trustees has governed the Athenaeum since that time. About this time Miss Blanche Perkins purchased a building used in Becket as a saloon and gave it to the library, "to remove from the community a source of evil and to substitute a fountain of good". However, on November 4, 1927 a tragic flood destroyed a portion of Becket Village and the records of the library from 1888 to 1927 were lost. After this tragedy, Miss Cerelia Snow donated her Pleasant Street home to the library and it remained there until 1965. This building was somewhat isolated from the rest of the town so when the trustees were offered the Becket Grange, formerly the First Congregational Church built in 1849, they hired an architect to redesign the interior so it could be functional as a library. The library remains in this building today and serves the people of both Becket and Washington.
SERVICES
BOOKS
The Becket Athenaeum has a permanent collection of nearly 17,000 fiction and non-fiction books for adults and children. In addition to these books the Western Massachusetts Bookmobile brings materials from their extensive collection every eleven weeks. At this time around 300 books are exchanged providing a variety of fiction and non-fiction for all ages that otherwise the library could not afford to purchase. Books may be checked out for two weeks.
VIDEOS AND AUDIOS
The Athenaeum now owns over 1200 video and DVD’s and has increased purchase of books on tape as well, bringing that total to about 300 items for patrons’ home use. In addition to this when the regional Bookmobile comes the library exchanges around 200 videos and audios from their extensive collection.
INTER-LIBRARY LOAN
A fine feature of the Massachusetts Library System is the Inter Library Loan service. Staff can order patron requests for items the library does not own according to title, author or subject through CWMARS and Western Massachusetts Regional Library System. These items usually take a week or two to arrive through the weekly van delivery from WMRLS and come from numerous libraries throughout the country. Patrons can borrow them for two weeks.
NEW MATERIALS The staff purchases new books, DVD’s, and audio books every four weeks keeping in mind patron interest and collection needs. The library receives many donations of new books from generous patrons that add to the permanent collection. In 2006 the Athenaeum was awarded memorial funds from various patrons for specific items. There were also two large memorial grants from The Beatty Family and the Elizabeth Wilson Family for children’s books, that helped the library update and enrich a much out dated part of the library’s children’s section.
We are pleased to announce that as part of the effort to support the exciting plans that came out of the economic summit, a Becket-Washington online bulletin board is up and running! The purpose of this website is to create a cohesive source of community information, events, resources, and projects. Here you will find a calendar of community events, posts about community initiatives, a listing of local businesses…and more to come! If you have events to add, a local business to list, an announcement to post, or an update on a community initiative, please e-mail: BWCommunity@gmail.com. This is a work in progress--suggestions are welcome. We look forward to building this website into a central means for residents to find and offer help during these difficult times, to build toward a strong and abundant future for Becket and Washington, and simply to find easily accessible ways of enjoying our rich and wonderful community!
On March 12th a lively group crowded into the Athenaeum to discuss both short-term and long-term solutions for our community in light of the economic crisis.It was an inspiring and encouraging evening, and I thank everyone who came.I hope those who were unable to be here will join us for our next meeting—and in the meantime there are plenty of ways to get involved.Through a process of defining problems, brainstorming ideas, selecting solutions, and volunteering, we were able to get several initiatives underway!
Below are the solutions that are currently in progress.
Barter/Swap Network.This may include a barter system in which people exchange services and labor hour for hour; a put-and-take at a given location; and/or a bulletin board (actual or online) for people to post items free for the taking.
Community Communication.This in many ways is related to all of the solutions.The idea is to find ways to get the word out about community events and services; to promote opportunities to socialize and get to know community members; and to create an easy means for people to connect about things like carpooling, swapping, etc.
Protect/Expand Becket-Washington School.The idea here is to stabilize the school, so that the threat of closing does not arise each time the district budget is tight, and to make the school an even more active, engaged part of the community.Possibilities transitioning to a K-8th school, becoming a magnet school, and more. The hope is to keep jobs in Becket-Washington, and attract more families to our towns.
Develop Energy Conservation and Alternative Energy.Possibilities include practical suggestions for town institutions and individuals to lower their utility costs; informing people about energy audits; and developing more sustainable long-term local energy sources through, for example, wind or hydro power.
Becket-Washington Town Farm.This is a long-range solution to the problem of food cost and availability.The farm would provide fresh, natural eggs, milk, meat, etc. for the community.The food could either be purchased directly or through "farm dollars."Farm dollars would be earned through working on the farm, to one's ability, on a sliding scale.
Community Garden.This project is already underway, using land next to the Becket Town Hall!
Local Recreation.If there is more available locally, for all ages—sports, potlucks, clubs, etc.—we won't all have to drive so many miles just to "get out."
This is only the beginning.Many good ideas were set aside for the moment, but are quite worthy and may well be developed in due time.In the library we have big sheets of paper posted for each of the above solutions, and for other solutions--we welcome one and all to come in and add ideas, questions, suggestions, or brilliant insights.
It was very exciting that a number of people at the summit volunteered to get ideas rolling, and there have already been some meetings/actions towards the above solutions.
We are looking forward to more people getting involved!While some of these solutions are well underway, others need more people to really get off the ground. If you would like to join in one of the above solutions, e-mail us: becketathenaeum@gmail.com.
We will host another meeting to check-in, brainstorm, coordinate…and, of course, share food and drink, on April 28th at 7p.m.
"…for almost all people throughout history (and for most people still today) 'the economy' is just a fancy way of saying 'What's for dinner?' and "Am I having any?'"
--Bill McKibben
This month our theme is Economics.Believe it or not, we are excited about this theme!While the economy is certainly a cause for worry and stress to many of us, perhaps this will also be a time to rethink, to strengthen communities, and to create a better future for ourselves and coming generations.
For our display this month, we have some books to ponder and some books for practical ways of economizing.For food for thought, try Deep Economy by Bill McKibben, which explores why more is not always better, and how communities can create sustainability.This book is fascinating, yet not a laborious read.Or The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder exploring whether accumulating vast wealth and living a life of integrity really can go hand in hand.
If you want ideas for what you can do right now to save some pennies, have a look at America's Cheapest Family by Steve and Annette Economides, or Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills.
Looking for new ways to earn money?We have the 2009 editions of Writer's Market, Photographer's Market, and Artist's and Graphic Designer's Market.
If your worried about your investments, we have Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan:Keeping Your Money Safe and Sound in book and audio form.
If your concerned with saving money and going green, we have several interesting books on the topic if creating a green economy and on how to go green without going broke.It's always worthwhile to learn from the past.Check out the newly released Soul of a People:The WPA Writer's Project Uncovers Depression America.
If you need a break from thinking about the economy, we have current best sellers, including Heart and Soul by Maeve Benchy, Run for Your Life by James Patterson, and The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci.We also have new DVDs and audios, and will be adding to our video game collection this month.
We hope everyone received an invitation to our economic summit.We are excited to share ideas that will help our community in the short term and down the road.Some of the ideas we plan to discuss are simple matters, for example creating a small community fund to help folks with one-time unexpected expenses such as minor car repairs; setting up an exchange system similar to Freecycle but more personable; or organizing a local barter networkOther ideas are on a large scale and have potential to create prolonged stability for our towns, such as creating a sustainable Town Farm; organizing an artist's collective; or spring-boarding off of the Athenaeum's Media Apprenticeship Program.
Light refreshments will be served so come with an open mind and an appetite!
"A creative economy is the fuel of magnificence"
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
A WORD ABOUT MILDEW
Many of you have seen the wonderful progress of our "circuit riders" who have been weeding the Adult and Children's non-fiction sections.Some of you have also expressed concern that many of the books we have weeded are going to the transfer station.This is as painful for us as it is for anyone, but the books going to the transfer station all suffer from serious mildew.Mildew is very contagious and spreads through book collections quickly.It is also very unhealthy to breathe.While we are proud to have passed along hundreds of books to worthy causes, including the Prison Book Project, the effort to rebuild New Orleans public library system, and local family shelters, it would be irresponsible for us to donate mildewed books to such causes.Likewise it would be unfriendly of us to place such books in our annual book sale, as we do not wish for our discarded books to infect the book collections of unwitting patrons.Once the weeding is completed, we will be cleaning the shelves thoroughly in an attempt to stem the spread of mildew.
This year we have two new museum passes.The first is Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Museum in Lenox.Ventfort Hall is a beautiful Elizabethan-style mansion built in 1893, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.They are open year 'round and offer lectures, films, and tea-on-the-porch in the summer.
We are also excited to offer a pass to the Springfield Museums, also known as the Quadrangle Museums.Our pass covers admission to all four world-class museums, which are within walking distance of each other, and include the Michele & Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Art, the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Springfield Science Museum, and the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum.The Springfield Museums is also home of the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden.This pass provides a wonderful opportunity for a rich and varied day-trip for families and individuals.Pack a lunch, picnic with The Cat in the Hat, commune with live fish and frogs, explore the art of Currier and Ives, learn about experimental automobiles made in western Massachusetts, and behold Samurai swords all in a square block!
"An economist is a man who states the obvious in terms of the incomprehensible"
--Alfred A. Knopf
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
EVERY SATURDAY, 11:00READING TIME WITH PURR
Join Purr in our cozy corner for stories and laughter, every Saturday!Children of all ages welcome.We ask that parents remain in the library during storytime for children under the age of 2.
Thursday, March 12th, 7:00ECONOMIC SUMMIT
Share, Hear, Plan, Eat!
Tuesday, March 17thHAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
3:00NON-FICTION BOOKCLUB
7:00POETRY WRITER'S GROUP
All styles are welcome!Share poems in a productive, inspiring environment. (This is an adult event.)
Thursday, March 26th, 3:00MOVIE NIGHT
We will be showing "Bolt" with the voices of John Travolta and Miley Cyrus.This movie is rated PG.
Tuesday, March 31st, 6:00READER LEADER EVENT
All Reader Leaders with 100 points or more are invited for a Mythological Feast.Dress as your favorite mythological god/dess, person, or beast!Come with an appetite!
"If all the economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion."
--George Bernard Shaw
WEB SITES OF INTEREST
www.ecoeco.orgEco Eco…sounds like Zydeco, but this is the website for the International Society for Ecological Economics.
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/USDA low-interest loans and grants for rural homeownership, including loans and grants for home repair.
"If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians."
--Warren Buffett
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES
Help our small community thrive!Following are local services and businesses based in Becket and Washington.If you would like your business or service listed at the end of our newsletter, send us an e-mail!
Macrobiotic Foods, and Programs, Workshops and Conferences.
623-5741
Paintings Restored and Repaired
M.P. Richard 623-0174
Pat Parkins
Garden of the Goddess
Organic fine gardening, design, installation andmaintenance of ornamental gardens, vegetable gardens, espaliered fruit trees, herb gardens, water gardens and small or large fruit orchards.
The Becket Athenaeum encourages hiring/buying locally, but does not endorse specific businesses or tradespeople, and does not verify the quality or validity of businesses or services listed.
"The gap in our economy is between what we have and what we think we ought to have—and that is a moral problem, not an economic one."
March 3 - Book Club 3 pm March 7 - Story Time with Purr 11 am March 12 - Economic Summit 7 pm March 14 - Story Time with Purr 11 am March 17 - Non Fiction Book Club 3 pm March 17 - Poetry Night 7 pm March 21 - Story Time with Purr 11 am March 26 - Family Movie Night 7 pm March 28 - Story Time with Purr 11 am March 31 - Reader Leader Event 6:30 pm
The library has two Internet accessible computers for patrons. They can be used for 30 minutes per day and sign-ups are required. Parental permission is required for children under the age of 18.
