2005 Annual Report

As information technology expands, libraries are increasingly important to our society. The information highway can be difficult to maneuver. Our librarians are the road maps.

However, the internet will never replace the need for public libraries. Rather, they are a necessary and valuable component for access to the world at large. Children know that if they have a question about the world, the library is the place to find the answer. And someone will always be there to help them find the answer--our librarians. (A librarian's) job is an important one. Our nation runs on the fuel of information and imagination that libraries provide. And they are in charge of collecting and sharing this information in a helpful way. Librarians inform the public, and by doing so, they strengthen our great democracy. First Lady Laura Bush

The board regretfully lost two more longtime members this year, Rachel Scherer and Sally Howe, co-chairpersons. Appointments to the board included Kathy Reinig and Richard Ballou. Our director, Anne Williamson, resigned in July. After a lengthy search and interviews, the board chose Walt Owens of Bloomington, Indiana, as her replacement. Walt has a wealth of experience and talent and he has already made his mark in Orange. 2005 brought a revival of the Friends of the Library, with Pat Larson and Joanie CohenMitchell as co-presidents. The Friends reorganized and received 501c tax exempt status.

The library received a $20,000 LSTA literacy grant from the Massachusetts Library Board of Commissioners for early childhood projects. This grant was postponed in its administration until October 2006, in deference to the new director’s arrival. The library once again saw an increase in the number of borrowers and items lent. The children’s room at Wheeler Memorial Library had a recording breaking day on June 30th, with 125 patrons coming in.