Boston Neighborhoods Demand a Voice at BPL, Apr. 7

Community takes vote on proposed Boston Public Library Budget at City Wide Stakeholders’ Meeting

A coalition of residents from across Boston will be congregating at the Cathedral of St. Paul’s to discuss the proposed budget from the Boston Public Library Trustees. The BPL Trustees plan to announce branch closings and cuts to service throughout the system without serious input from patrons or library workers. The community is infuriated at the rush to close branches and slash 25% of services for an 8% budget gap. The discussion will be chaired by Ms. Sarah Ann Shaw and blessed by Rev. June Cooper of the City Mission Society. Workers, community members, Library Friends, and others will be the key speakers. The community will vote on the Trustees recommendations and pledge to take action.

Who: Community Activists, Scholars, AFSCME Local 1526, Boston Public Library Professional Staff Association, Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, People Of Boston Branches, Radical Reference Boston Collective, the Progressive Librarians Guild Simmons College GSLIS, and the City Mission Society.

Where: The Cathedral of St. Paul’s, 138 Tremont St, Boston MA

When: April 7th, 2010 from 6:30-8:30pm

What: Open forum