Friends of WPL say goodbye

Dear Friends

It is with heavy hearts we write to you today to announce the Friends of the Woburn Public Library have begun the process of dissolution. This decision comes after long consideration of the circumstances in which we find ourselves with the current administration and Board of Trustees of the library.

Last year, Bonnie Roalsen was installed as director of the library. The Friends Board, despite our best efforts, was unable to find common ground with her. The issues came to a head over our annual book sale. Briefly, in February we reserved the Program Room at the library for one week at the end of September during which we planned to prepare for and hold the book sale. In July, Bonnie said the room would not be made available to us and that we should hold the sale offsite. We felt it was too late to secure an offsite location and that our reservation should have been honored. After several Trustees met with Bonnie over the issue, she suggested a Fall Harvest sale on the front lawn. We asked for clarification on several logistical points and invited her to our August meeting to discuss our concerns. No response was given, but she contacted the President of the Trustees, Richard Mahoney, to complain that we had put her on our meeting agenda without asking her. He attended our meeting to ask us to “stop the hate” and to “take a break” for a little while.

Acceding to his request, we chose to hold only two events that fall, the Playhouse dedication in the Children’s Room, and our Annual meeting. No member of the administration attended either event. The Friends have become invisible to the library administration, Trustees and Foundation. The Friends page was removed from the library website without our knowledge. No member of the Friends Board was asked to participate in planning for the library gala that was scheduled for March of this year. Without the support and cooperation of the administration, the Trustees, and the Foundation, there is no way for the Friends to move forward. Without the ability to fundraise, we cannot sponsor the museum passes or programs like Woburn Reads or the Teddy Bear Picnic. In short, we are unable to fulfill our mission.

We have not renewed any memberships since late last year. We apologize to anyone who feels they have not gotten their dues-worth, but we can find no other solution at this point. Should you have any questions, please reach out to woburnplfriends@gmail.com. Thank you for your many years of support for our organization.

Sincerely,

Friends of the Woburn Public Library Board

Ellen-Marie Winson, President

Sheila Newman, Vice-President

Barbara Pooler, Secretary

Bethany Arnold, Treasurer

Kathy Adgate

Lynda Peitzsch