2021-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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We were given the opportunity to partner with Mashpee primary internet provider did experience an outage,we Public Schools and offer their students access to eBook were able to offer internet access by assembling a titles from the CLAMS network. Mashpee piloted a network of Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the building, program designed to remove the barrier of a public which ran on that still functional network.The building library card and allowed students to access our digital was filled to capacity during the three day outage and collections in the OverDrive SORA platform using every available space was converted to additional their school log-on information. This program has workspace for residents needing a warm place to rest, enabled us to meet needs we wouldn't have otherwise recharge devices,or work remotely. The overwhelming been able to meet with all of the limitations we faced response to the Library as a community resource during during the year. We hope that this introduction to the storm strengthened our commitment to developing public library resources will serve as a bridge to the Library as a service hub during emergency students becoming lifelong library users and lead to circumstances. students obtaining their own public library cards. Overall 2021 proved to be a year in which our We pursued internal training efforts for diversity, community demonstrated its resilience and equity,and inclusion,and conducted our first diversity commitment to moving forward with a new awareness audit of the print collections. The results were positive and commitment to continue to evolve and adapt to our and encouraged us to continue our current practices, changing environment. The staff of the library were curate additional resources, and approach collection nothing short of extraordinary as they developed new development as an evolving process requiring review. and innovative methods of reaching out to residents and Our further efforts included a review of policies connecting them to vital resources, and deserve our endorsed by the American Libraries Association in sincere appreciation and gratitude for their dedication. regard to the assessment of fees and charges. The American Libraries Association issued guidance stating The Friends of the Mashpee Library, led by "All library policies and procedures,particularly those President Ginny Farwell continued to lift our spirits and involving fines, fees, or other user charges, should be encourage support for the library. In December they scrutinized for potential presented the Library with a gift of$25,000 to create a new circulating collection—a"Library of Things." A The Library took a major step towards becoming Library of Things included unique items such as a more equitable and inclusive institution when the gardening tools, sports equipment, and electronic Board of Library Trustees approved a proposal to allow gadgets that can be borrowed by residents. We look the Mashpee Public Library to join the growing ranks forward to working on developing this collection and of the fine-free public libraries on Cape Cod,and across sharing it with community members to encourage at the nation. home learning and outdoor adventures! As 2021 continued with COVID-19 restrictions We would like to express our gratitude to the and limitations in place, the Massachusetts Board of leadership and staff of our fellow Town departments Library Commissioners launched a statewide program who supported us in navigating new requirements and to bridge the digital divide by providing mobile procedures as we carried on during the second year of hotspots to public libraries for community use. the pandemic. Our colleagues and essential staff in our Loaning hotspots to our adult residents provides them Fire and Police departments maintained their standard with free access to wireless internet service in their of excellence and provided assistance to us, and our home to allow them to complete remote work, school community members facing challenges throughout the work, or to complete vital forms such as tax forms, or year. filing for unemployment. Our ability to provide programs and services The hotspots played a vital role in our ability to throughout the year has been due to the consistent provide services during the Nor'easter that battered the support and leadership of the Mashpee Board of region in October of 2021. The Library did not lose Selectmen, Town Manager, Rodney Collins, and power as a result of the storm and remained open for Assistant Town Manager, Wayne Taylor. They have all scheduled hours that week, while the area worked with us to ensure that we have the staff and widespread cable and power outages. Although our resources to remain safe and effective with each new 126