Saturday, March 13, 2010

Emotions Reach Boiling Point in Boston Public Library Discussion


Link to March 12 Boston Globe article, "A loud dispute over the fate of quiet libraries".

Excerpt:     The shout that shattered the decorum at this week's trustees meeting at the Boston Public Library came from Sarah Wenig. The 56-year-old Back Bay resident yelled that the public should speak first when City Council President Michael P. Ross stepped to the microphone.

Other shouts followed. Wenig barked: "If we wanted to hear from the City Council we would have gone to a City Council meeting." Ross relented and stepped off the stage. The other half-dozen councilors sitting in the audience followed his lead and stayed mum.  

The topic of closing libraries has elicited a lot of strong emotions, but Wenig's outburst took it to another level. Two days later, the City Council took up the issue again at a budget hearing, but this time it was on their turf in City Hall.

Related articles: 

The Boston Public Library Dilemma, Continued.  (3/12/2010)

Boston Speaks Up for Its Libraries.  (3/10/2010)

Boston Public Library Branches to be Ranked in Consolidation Plan. (3/9/2010)

Boston Public Library Anticipating Budget Cuts in 2011. (3/2/2010)

No comments: