2024 Annual Report
Celebrating Leverett’s 250th celebration: The library hosted 250th events including Eva Gibavic’s Brushy Mountain history talk and Mary Hankinson’s 2024 student quilt display which included the 1974 quilt. Sue, Jill, and I also had fun walking in the parade with members of the Friends group!
Long Range Plan 2020-2025 update: Despite a worldwide pandemic and several library director transitions, we have met many of the goals outlined in our Long Range Plan including: increasing staff and staff supports (welcome Elena and Aaron!), varying and increasing programming (well done, Elena), increasing online services (get a free Kanopy account), and expanding our role as a community hub. However, we have yet to introduce more open hours. We are currently collecting data and feedback about this change so look for new trial hours coming soon!
A future Library Park: The library, with the support of the Friends of Leverett Library are planning to transform the property into an accessible, interactive community park. The fully accessible path will encircle the building and include a boardwalk through the small isolated wetland. There will be benches to rest and socialize, information signs about wetland plants and animals, outdoor musical instruments, a bike repair station and a fully accessible stage/workshop area for concerts, workshops, and story times.
The Library Trustees and Friends group have been working with the Conway School of Landscape Design to develop a plan, with Berkshire Design to create engineering documentation and we’ve been writing grants to fund the project (including the CPC grant that you have the opportunity to vote for at Leverett’s Town Meeting in May). Thank you to those who donated to the Friends of Leverett Library’s fundraising efforts throughout 2024. To date they have raised $28,000! Thank you!
We are very excited about how this park will support our community and thank you for your enthusiasm as we work towards realizing this dream.
In celebration and with gratitude:
In November, Sue LaClaire retired after almost 19 years at the library and nearly 24 working for the town. Over those years, she has welcomed community members to the library and connected them to what makes our town great. Her signature friendly greeting was the first thing I heard when I moved here. In true Sue fashion, last fall she shared her bumper crop of volunteer squash and there were almost 90 to go around! This is Sue: so generous and so kind. She trained me as a first-time library director and I’m thankful for her support, sense of humor and keen insights. Enjoy your retirement!
How can you support your library, the freedom to read, and the beautiful diversity of your community? Get to know your neighbors or meet new ones at gathering places like the library. Get a free library card, use our services, come to a program, spread the word about our services and programs. When you use our resources, you help us advocate for their continued funding. Let us know how we can support you and speak up in support of access to information!
Respectfully submitted, Hannah Paessel, library director
Library Trustees: Lisa Werner, Chair
Chris Condit
Judith Davidov
Rachel Flint
Joan Godsey
Seth Seeger
Trustees meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the month except in July/August
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Posted: to General News on Wed, Apr 23, 2025
Updated: Wed, Apr 23, 2025