This message is from the Historical Society of Watertown's Facebook page.
Please help!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Historical-Society-of-Watertown-Watertown-MA/115394905142815
Watertown Library Local History Room Collection in Danger
Dear Watertown History Enthusiast, July 2013
I’m writing on a matter of concern to many of us here in Watertown. The Library Trustees intend to do away with of a large part of the current History Room collection as the footage of the June 4, 2013 Trustees meeting makes clear. (This is available for viewing at www.wcatv.org as “Library Trustees Meeting” 6/4/13, with the discussion about the History Collection taking place from about 24 min. 30 sec. to 43 min 15 sec.)
The current collection, the fruit of many generations, not only has proven its continuing usefulness, but includes many rare, irreplaceable volumes. It is consulted by locals, people from a distance researching their Watertown connections, and even people from other nations (France, Scotland, etc.) studying New England life. Other institutions, such as lecturers representing the New England Historic Genealogical Society, often recommend this well-rounded resource. The History Collection is not only one of Watertown’s valued assets, but also makes our town a destination.
The stated purpose of the de-accessioning, as stated in the Library Director’s email to Clare Murphy, is primarily to provide space in the History Room for the many binders of paperwork relating to the Arsenal clean-up. To do this, the Trustees decided to remove all “non-Watertown” material, even works about towns that were once part of Watertown’s original territory (such as Weston, Waltham and Belmont), or towns directly settled by Watertown people (Watertown has long been called “the Mother Town.”) Some examples of the towns settled in the 1600s partly by the founders of Watertown are Brookfield, parts of Cambridge, Lexington, Lincoln, Dedham, Hingham, Sudbury, Concord, Wethersfield CT and other CT towns, Newport RI and Providence RI.
Other works on relevant New England topics, such as The Journal of John Winthrop, 1630-1649, which for 350 years has been recognized as the central source for the history of Massachusetts in the 1630s and 1640s, would also be banished from our Local History Room. These books and manuscripts would either be sold, placed in circulation (some are fragile and many are rare and valuable) or offered to the Historical Society.
A good research collection provides background material as well as matter specific to the topic. The Local History Collection Policy, as approved by the Trustees January 7, 2013, includes within its scope “a selection of materials about other towns and genealogical materials about Massachusetts and the United States that relate to Watertown.” The Collection Policy can be read thru this link.http://www.watertownlib.org/sites/default/files/LH%20Collection%20Development%20Policy%20%28Local%20History%29.pdf
The targeted material either refers to the original territory (and thus clarifies what the town records discuss), or else provides information on Watertown-related individuals, families, or events in related locations. History, like the rest of human activity, spreads beyond political bounds (as it certainly did in 1775-1776 when Watertown was the Massachusetts capital and seat of the Legislature). The Arsenal clean-up material can still be stored within the Library (as federally mandated), even adjacent to the History Room, without eliminating so large a part of the collection.
The recorded discussion on WCATV assumed that much of the target material was available on-line, when in fact few of the titles are. Works that are on-line are often in a form difficult to peruse and even the best are not as convenient as books in hand. Instead of referring from one existing book to another, the advice was for researchers to drive from town to town to consult other local histories (most towns are inaccessible by public transportation), or to request titles through inter-library loan (such reference collections do not circulate at all, much less by inter-library loan).
No one can be expected to understand every scholarly pursuit, but with all due respect, the board of Trustees seems unfamiliar with historical research and unaware of the most productive way to go about it. While the Historical Society has been offered this material, we lack the space and the volunteers to make the books publicly available. We believe that having the intact collection, this valuable and valued town resource, preserved within the Public Library, is of far greater advantage to Watertown.
We hope that the Trustees will reconsider their interpretation of the collection’s value before disbursing a public resource that once gone, would be impossible to reconstruct. Letters, phone calls and meetings with the Trustees/Library Director, voicing our concerns about losing this valuable collection have been fruitless. Now we need the help of Watertown residents who value our town’s important place in American history or simply love our public library.
If you share this concern, we hope that you will voice your opinion. Email your support to me at mkr12y@yahoo.com, or write a Letter to the Editor to the Watertown Tab. Time is fast running out, because the trustees have already voted to allow this disaster to occur and the library director is on board.
Like the recent debacle in Peru, when an ancient Pyramid was bulldozed by developers, the people may realize that although it is fast and easy to destroy it is impossible to reconstruct. Please call Marilynne Roach at 617-924-3559 with any questions or need for clarification.
Respectfully,
Marilynne K. Roach, President Historical Society of Watertown
Joyce Kelly, Collections Manager Historical Society of Watertown
Clare Murphy, Genealogist Historical Society of Watertown
Audrey Jones Childs, Vice President Historical Society of Watertown
Ruth Arena, Treasurer Historical Society of Watertown
Mary Spiers, Recording/Correspond. Secretary Historical Society of Watertown
Peggy Anderson, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown
Robert Childs, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown
Jon Spector, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown
DAN SULLIVAN
Please help!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Historical-Society-of-Watertown-Watertown-MA/115394905142815
Watertown Library Local History Room Collection in Danger
Dear Watertown History Enthusiast, July 2013
I’m writing on a matter of concern to many of us here in Watertown. The Library Trustees intend to do away with of a large part of the current History Room collection as the footage of the June 4, 2013 Trustees meeting makes clear. (This is available for viewing at www.wcatv.org as “Library Trustees Meeting” 6/4/13, with the discussion about the History Collection taking place from about 24 min. 30 sec. to 43 min 15 sec.)
The current collection, the fruit of many generations, not only has proven its continuing usefulness, but includes many rare, irreplaceable volumes. It is consulted by locals, people from a distance researching their Watertown connections, and even people from other nations (France, Scotland, etc.) studying New England life. Other institutions, such as lecturers representing the New England Historic Genealogical Society, often recommend this well-rounded resource. The History Collection is not only one of Watertown’s valued assets, but also makes our town a destination.
The stated purpose of the de-accessioning, as stated in the Library Director’s email to Clare Murphy, is primarily to provide space in the History Room for the many binders of paperwork relating to the Arsenal clean-up. To do this, the Trustees decided to remove all “non-Watertown” material, even works about towns that were once part of Watertown’s original territory (such as Weston, Waltham and Belmont), or towns directly settled by Watertown people (Watertown has long been called “the Mother Town.”) Some examples of the towns settled in the 1600s partly by the founders of Watertown are Brookfield, parts of Cambridge, Lexington, Lincoln, Dedham, Hingham, Sudbury, Concord, Wethersfield CT and other CT towns, Newport RI and Providence RI.
Other works on relevant New England topics, such as The Journal of John Winthrop, 1630-1649, which for 350 years has been recognized as the central source for the history of Massachusetts in the 1630s and 1640s, would also be banished from our Local History Room. These books and manuscripts would either be sold, placed in circulation (some are fragile and many are rare and valuable) or offered to the Historical Society.
A good research collection provides background material as well as matter specific to the topic. The Local History Collection Policy, as approved by the Trustees January 7, 2013, includes within its scope “a selection of materials about other towns and genealogical materials about Massachusetts and the United States that relate to Watertown.” The Collection Policy can be read thru this link.http://www.watertownlib.org/sites/default/files/LH%20Collection%20Development%20Policy%20%28Local%20History%29.pdf
The targeted material either refers to the original territory (and thus clarifies what the town records discuss), or else provides information on Watertown-related individuals, families, or events in related locations. History, like the rest of human activity, spreads beyond political bounds (as it certainly did in 1775-1776 when Watertown was the Massachusetts capital and seat of the Legislature). The Arsenal clean-up material can still be stored within the Library (as federally mandated), even adjacent to the History Room, without eliminating so large a part of the collection.
The recorded discussion on WCATV assumed that much of the target material was available on-line, when in fact few of the titles are. Works that are on-line are often in a form difficult to peruse and even the best are not as convenient as books in hand. Instead of referring from one existing book to another, the advice was for researchers to drive from town to town to consult other local histories (most towns are inaccessible by public transportation), or to request titles through inter-library loan (such reference collections do not circulate at all, much less by inter-library loan).
No one can be expected to understand every scholarly pursuit, but with all due respect, the board of Trustees seems unfamiliar with historical research and unaware of the most productive way to go about it. While the Historical Society has been offered this material, we lack the space and the volunteers to make the books publicly available. We believe that having the intact collection, this valuable and valued town resource, preserved within the Public Library, is of far greater advantage to Watertown.
We hope that the Trustees will reconsider their interpretation of the collection’s value before disbursing a public resource that once gone, would be impossible to reconstruct. Letters, phone calls and meetings with the Trustees/Library Director, voicing our concerns about losing this valuable collection have been fruitless. Now we need the help of Watertown residents who value our town’s important place in American history or simply love our public library.
If you share this concern, we hope that you will voice your opinion. Email your support to me at mkr12y@yahoo.com, or write a Letter to the Editor to the Watertown Tab. Time is fast running out, because the trustees have already voted to allow this disaster to occur and the library director is on board.
Like the recent debacle in Peru, when an ancient Pyramid was bulldozed by developers, the people may realize that although it is fast and easy to destroy it is impossible to reconstruct. Please call Marilynne Roach at 617-924-3559 with any questions or need for clarification.
Respectfully,
Marilynne K. Roach, President Historical Society of Watertown
Joyce Kelly, Collections Manager Historical Society of Watertown
Clare Murphy, Genealogist Historical Society of Watertown
Audrey Jones Childs, Vice President Historical Society of Watertown
Ruth Arena, Treasurer Historical Society of Watertown
Mary Spiers, Recording/Correspond. Secretary Historical Society of Watertown
Peggy Anderson, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown
Robert Childs, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown
Jon Spector, Councilor Historical Society of Watertown
DAN SULLIVAN
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