News Release
DATE: July 01, 2008
Governor Patrick Visits Library
Shrewsbury Library Director, Ellen Dolan, greets Governor Patrick who toured the library along with U.S. Representative James McGovern, state Senator Edward M. Augustus Jr. and state Representative Karyn Polito.
Governor Deval Patrick has been spending a lot of time in libraries lately. On May 30, 2008 he visited Shrewsbury Free Public Library where he toured the library along with U.S. Representative James McGovern, state Senator Edward M. Augustus Jr. and state Representative Karyn Polito. Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Katherine Dibble and Frank Murphy also welcomed the Governor to the library.
Patrick called libraries the continuation of everybody’s education and commented on the diversity of people who use Shrewsbury Library. He also addressed library funding stating that government should be a partner in the success of libraries. The Governor has filed a bond bill which includes $100 million dollars for library construction and renovation projects.
Governor Deval Patrick, pictured here with Representative Stephen Canessa (right) addresses residents at Lakeville Library’s Great Pond Gallery. Lakeville is one of more than 200 cities and towns that have received Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program grants since the program’s inception in 1990.
Shrewsbury is currently second on the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioner’s Library Construction Wait List of twenty nine libraries. The library would receive close to $4 million in grant money from the state and would have two years to privately raise $1.75 million to help with the project. For more information on the library’s building project, visit: http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/library/
In June the Governor was at the Lakeville Free Public Library to hold a press conference where he announced grants that will help the towns of Lakeville and Raynham create new jobs and spur economic growth.
Governor Patrick greets Lakeville Town Administrator Rita Garbitt. The Governor held a press conference at Lakeville Public Library in June.
Lakeville Library Director Olivia Melo, used the Governor’s visit as an opportunity to take him on a tour of library and talk about the success of Lakeville’s construction project. Ms. Melo started the tour with a quick stop to the small original library across the street from the new library which opened in October 2005.
Ms. Melo told the Governor that the $4.1 million new library was funded in part by a $1.6 million state construction grant. Governor Patrick was impressed by the new facility, commenting that it was beautiful.