“About sixty two miles from The Plymouth Public Library, which was our last visit, is the Tewksbury Public Library. It’s eye-catching entrance invites the visitor/reader into a very friendly library.” Barbara Eppich Struna
Library Director, Diane Giarrusso, graciously answered a few questions about her beloved library.
Tell us a little about the history of the library and the population it serves.
The Tewksbury Public Library is always filled with activity; it is a welcoming destination for the residents of Tewksbury and surrounding communities. Town meeting in November 1877 voted to authorize a public library to serve the citizens of Tewksbury. For the first ninety years of its existence, the Tewksbury Public Library shared quarters with other town facilities. In 1967, the public library moved from cramped quarters in the Town Hall to its own one-story brick structure. This building was renamed the Harold J. Patten Public Library in honor of a library trustee. The library experienced considerable growth in collections and library services during the following thirty years, and in 1999 moved into a new building on the grounds of the Tewksbury State Hospital one-quarter of a mile south of its previous town-center location. At that time, the institution’s name reverted to Tewksbury Public Library.
Just over 30,000 residents live in Tewksbury and 1/3 of them have library cards with which they enjoy our collections and use our online resources. We are a member of the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium and share our resources with 35 other communities. We have a very large program of classes, lectures, story times, teen events and adult events that we present daily in an effort to engage everyone with opportunities to learn from experiences, as well as materials in the collection. With continued support of the Town, we are an active library which welcomes people of all ages and abilities to transform their lives by using the library.
What do you think the most pressing challenges are for libraries in the coming five years?
Stable funding continues to challenge many communities and the pandemic has exacerbated that challenge.
When COVID changed our lives and towns were reeling from the uncertainty of what this would mean financially, our library and many others learned to pivot very quickly. Within days, we had increased our collection of streaming services, ensured that any resident could get a virtual library card that, within 24 hours of application, they could use to access our streaming services and other online resources. In addition, within weeks we implemented virtual programs for all ages—all while working remotely from our homes.
Libraries across the state (and nation) made most of these changes “behind the scenes” and many library using residents were appreciative. However, our inability to be open and visible made it difficult for many casual library users to understand the value of the library during the pandemic. For many towns, although with great appreciation not Tewksbury, the fear around this closure made it easier for towns to cut funding. Many municipal employees were furloughed, thereby cutting costs. Funding has not been restored in many of these libraries. As well, as the unstable economy and low employment levels will continue to affect the ability of communities to collect taxes which support local services such as libraries, senior centers and other essential services.
Does your library have author readings and how do you make the decision about whom to invite?
We have an active roster of author readings that has expanded during the pandemic due to the relative ease of hosting virtual events. We try to invite authors who write in many genres and are at varying levels of recognition from unknown to best-selling. We offer the opportunity to all authors and it is often their availability that determines our schedule. I have a staff member who devotes about 90% of his time on adult programming and outreach. He is a rock star and has had members of Sisters In Crime NE a few times.
Do you have book clubs at the library and, if so, how are the books chosen?
We currently host 6 book discussion groups at the library: Armchair Detectives, Non-Fiction, Poetry Circle, Neverland Book Club (on Facebook “for grownups who refuse to grow up!”), Science Squared (alternating a science and a science fiction book monthly), and our Wednesday Evening group that is currently on hiatus. Each group uses criteria based on their topic. Some groups select books via polling and voting, others leave the selection up to the group leader. One thing we’d like to implement is a virtual author visit after the discussion. It’s always so fun to discuss a book and then visit with the writer!
Have you seen reading trends change over the years and how?
I think trends are meant for change, and right now, we are seeing a trend in publishing and reading diverse authors—and it’s about time!
I think the biggest change I’ve experienced is the movement of people from paper to electronic books. I love being able to offer both formats to our readers and enjoy overhearing lively conversations about how people prefer one over the other. I’m format agnostic and will read regardless. The proliferation and relative ease of audiobook production and availability is also wonderful. Audiobooks make my commute so much calmer, as I’m sure it does for others. I think reading trends will continue to change as we adapt to changes in format and availability. The worst trend I can think of is the one where people stop reading. That would break my heart.
What is one fact about the library that very few people know about?
It won’t be much of a secret soon, but we are certain that we have a library ghost. We’ve named it Chandler and it is benign. In a month or so, we’re having a paranormal investigation done to see if there is any “activity”. Stay tuned!
The last question sparked my curiosity so much, that I may take another drive to find Chandler!
Thank you Dale Phillips, fellow mister in crime, for a recommendation to visit his favorite library. If you have a favorite library, drop me an email: barbara.estruna@gmail.com
Happy writing, reading, and please stay safe,
Barbara
Barbara Eppich Struna, international best-selling author and storyteller at heart, bases her tales on the history, myth, and legends of Cape Cod and her own personal experiences. Her suspenseful historical novels, part of her Old Cape Series, have won numerous literary awards and critical acclaim. Barbara is President of Cape Cod Writers Center; a member of International Thriller Writers, Member of Sisters In Crime, National, New England, Los Angeles, and Member in Letters, National League of American Pen Women. She also writes a blog about the unique facts and myths of Cape Cod. www.barbarastruna.blogspot.com You can follow her on Twitter- @Goodystruna, Facebook- B.E. Struna Books, Instagram- barbara_struna