Twelve Brookline residents are elected to 3-year staggered terms as Library Trustees to oversee services and programs provided at the three Brookline public libraries. Each year after the May election, the Trustees elect 4 officers from their membership: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. The Trustees represent the interests of the Brookline electorate in matters concerning library policy; they oversee the hiring and function of the head librarian and investing and spending a specific portion of the library s trust funds (gifts and bequests made to the library over the years either for specific purposes or to an fund). Other activities include planning library events like Brookline Reads, authors groups and lectures and exhibits; looking at long range planning for library services; having input on physical plant maintenance issues; reviewing and improving library policies; representing library patrons interests to the Select Board, the Advisory Committee and Town Meeting as needed; and other activities that arise from patrons input, trustees concerns or staff concerns.Meetings of the whole Board of Trustees are held one evening a month in the Trustees Room of the Brookline Village Library. Sub-committee meetings are held as needed (these include committees on public relations, fiscal matters, library services, buildings, etc.). (No salary; no health insurance.)‘*’ following a candidate name indicates an Incumbent.For Incumbent Town Meeting Candidates, Attendance Record for the last three years is shown.(NPE) is the party for all candidates. The Brookline Municipal Election is a Non-Partisan Election.
Campaign Phone
617-734-6460
Town Meeting Member since 2001; never missed a meeting. Library Trustee since 2004; chair 2014-2016, 2021-2024. Endorsed by PAX in all elections. Harvard College: A.B., Physics; Boston University: M.A., Physics. Brookline resident 1991-3, 1995-date. Teacher (1995-2004): Cambridge School of Weston, Rashi School; Editorial Manager (now): Savvas Learning Company. Condominium owner in precinct 12 with twin daughters, age 15. Award-winning science-fiction writer and editor.
Brookline residents consistently request longer hours from their library system. Over my many years as a Trustee, I have done what I can to advocate for this expansion, which would include an increase in the library's current $4.7 million budget. And although residents haven't been saying anything about this, I am concerned about the federal government's attempts to shut down the IMLS, a vital resource for libraries across the country.
Campaign Phone
617-731-0013
I'm a 40-year resident of Brookline with a passion for libraries. I grew up in Massachusetts, got my B.A from Smith, and then went to the University of Wisconsin for my Master's in English. I moved back to Massachusetts and earned an MBA from Simmons. My career started in fashion advertising; then I moved to the tech sector, where I still work as a consultant to technology trade associations. My husband and I sent our two sons through the Brookline schools. I've served as a Trustee since 2007 and as a Town Meeting Member for Precinct 9 since 2011.
The Brookline community loves our libraries! The concerns that residents have expressed to me have focused on their anxiety about how the chaos in our federal government will affect the library. When concrete information is available, the Trustees will work with the Director to mitigate any ill effects of federal actions. We have a creative and innovative staff, and I am confident that we will be able to surmount the worst of the hardships that may lie ahead.
Campaign Phone
617-953-2291
Hi there! My Name is Batia Bloomenthal. I am a longtime Brookline resident, Public Library of Brookline patron and advocate. But more than that, I am a former employee of the Public Library of Brookline with a career there spanning 27 years. Over those two decades, I was a Library Page, Circulation Assistant, Library Assistant, Reference Librarian, and the Putterham Library Branch Supervisor. My cumulative years of experience, my direct knowledge of internal library processes, and established working relationships with current library staff makes me uniquely qualified to be a member of the Brookline Trustees of the Public Library.
The Public Library of Brookline is facing internal and external challenges. Internally, Library staff are experiencing low moral, high staff turnover, and a fractured relationship with library administration. The Board of Library Trustees must continue to find ways to repair the loss of trust created by the previous director.
Externally, attempts to censor library collections continues to threaten the library's mission of providing free and open access to information.
The Executive Order calling for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (a federal agency) places future funding sources for the library in jeopardy.
Digital literacy is also an area of concern. Scammers and threat actors are preying on our most vulnerable populations. The library needs to position itself to provide more cybersecurity educational awareness programs to help protect the community.
Campaign Phone
508-759-0965
Joey Elasmar is a senior at Brookline High School and attended Runkle from K-8. At BHS, Joey volunteers at the school library, working in cataloguing, circulation and helping patrons. He also helps lead the BHS Student Library Advisory which plans events for and assists in determining the direction of the school library. On the SLA, Joey helped design a schoolwide reading challenge which received a large Brookline Education Fund grant that Joey advocated and testified for. He also initiated the digitization effort of the library’s 130 year old paper archive of school newspapers. Joey additionally volunteers with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary where he is a Flotilla Staff Officer. Next fall, he will be attending Boston College.
The main issue the public library faces is poor staff retention and morale. Librarians are the foundation of a library, so ensuring they are satisfied is necessary to maintain a practical, and cost effective library the whole community can benefit from. But in Brookline, it is clear that many staff are not happy with their situation and the turnover is extremely high with 29% of full time and 40% of part time staff having been hired in the past year. As a trustee, I will work to create a strategy for effective communication between staff and leadership. When we hire the next library director, I will make sure it is someone capable of creating an environment where staff are happy, and feel a sense of belonging. The next director must be able to rebuild trust between library leadership and staff, and be held accountable for how their decisions impact the staff.
Campaign Phone
781-227-5616
I've lived in Brookline my entire life, and my family and I still live in the home where I was raised. I'm committed to volunteering for several Town branches that require committed people who are prepared to put in the time necessary to find solutions for a variety of local problems, including but not limited to housing, schools, community relations, climate challenges, and more.
People visit Brookline because of its stellar reputation for safety, its moral fiber, and its highly regarded educational system. Here, families grow for generations. The fact that my family is one of them makes me proud.
I appreciate the chance to give back to the community that helped raise me.
Staffing is the main issue that residents have expressed to me. People are concerned that the workforce doesn't get along and has a lot of turnover. The other problem was that there weren't enough volunteers or employees to keep the library running smoothly.
There weren't enough staff members to monitor noise levels, assist patrons at the checkout desk, or direct them to the appropriate books. I regularly visited the library after hearing these worries. Indeed, there is a need for additional personnel. It would be beneficial to increase the number of volunteers. It's possible that staff members aren't available to oversee volunteer staff. Paid Staff could share this responsibility, or a volunteer with this particular background could be found to maintain that direct responsibility. When there is more help, staff morale will return. It’s my goal to see this through.
