Board of Trustees

About

The Board of Library Trustees is a group of nine Bridgewater citizens who are elected individually in the annual town election for three-year terms. The Board is one of three elected town Boards and each Trustee is a representative of the Bridgewater citizens, collectively. The Board volunteers to provide oversight and advisement to the Bridgewater Public Library and Library Director in the pursuit of their mission to educate, inform, enrich, and inspire.

The Board is active in supporting Library and Town events and outreach, in providing recommendations on Town Charter and other policies that govern the Library, and in advocating for resources to support the Library as it supports our community. Public attendance at the Trustees' meetings is both welcome and encouraged.

A Statement from the Bridgewater Public Library Board of Trustees

Statement on Freedom to Read

Images from the Fall 2023 Library Book Sale

Trustee Tidbits

Board of Library Trustees
Yearly Report for 2023

Once again, 2023 was a year of activity and accomplishment for the library trustees. We started the year by planning and orchestrating a Winter Book Sale held on January 21. This was held in the Flora T. Little Room of the library. These events are always popular and resulted in a large turnout of patrons eager to pick up books for their personal libraries. The month of April always brings with it National Library Week, an opportunity to highlight the many contributions made by libraries throughout the country. This year it was celebrated from April 23-29 with the 25th designated as National Library Worker’s Day. Our staff here at BPL is hard working and dedicated to helping patrons in a variety of ways. We wanted to honor their work and did so by adding decorative touches to the newly renovated staff lounge, providing coffee and special treats. In addition, each staff member received a hand written card expressing our appreciation. Staff members were thrilled to be acknowledged and honored in this way. April also brings with it the Town Election at the end of the month. We were pleased when two new members were elected to the Board: Joan Carson and Nancy Donnelly. Both women jumped right in and were soon active participants with our endeavors. Once again this year, we were asked to participate in Bridgewater’s Juneteenth celebration sponsored by BCCR. In preparation for this event scheduled for June 17 and with the assistance of the library staff, we posted our Storybook Trail outside along side of the library driveway. This “trail” consisting of poster sized pages tells the story of the origins of Juneteenth and why it is important. It did catch the eye of patrons as they drove in or walked to the library. Our intent was also to display it at the actual Juneteenth celebration but this plan was thwarted when the event had to be cancelled due to significant rain.

An activity we all look forward to each year is our participation in Christmas on the Common. For the past two years, we have passed out gently used, wrapped books for free to children of all ages, Once again, weather intervened and we had to cancel at the last minute. Fortunately, however, the library had a holiday open house a short time later and we were able to pass out books then. Two of our trustees made special contributions to this festive event-Nancy Donnelly who played the piano and led a sing-a-long and Matt Gerritsen who was a terrific Santa. Throughout the year, trustees continued to augment their webpage on the library website with monthly Trustee Tidbits These submissions often focused on past and upcoming events and pictures of trustee activities. In response to the recent attention given to book banning, we created and posted a Freedom to Read statement asserting everyone’s right to choose what they read.

Overall, the trustees continue to carryout their mission as stated in the Town Charter to provide free access to the public library. In concert with our director Jed Phillips and his talented staff, we continue to support the BPL’s goal to educate, inform, enrich and inspire. We welcome attendance at our monthly meetings and also maybe reached at trustees@sailsinc.org with any comments or questions.

Respectively submitted,
Constance H. Franciosi
Chair, Board of Bridgewater Public Library Trustees

Board Members

	Constance Franciosi BA Ohio Wesleyan University, MA Ohio State University, MAR Yale Divinity School, EdD Boston College Retired Special Education Department Head with Brockton Public Schools When not at the library: I like to travel the country and world vicariously through the magic of amateur radio.

	Danielle Oliari BA Boston College, MAT Boston College, MA New York University COO, Prinicipal CNT at CNT DEP, Director Little Brick Schoolhouse When not at the library: I enjoy (almost) anything with my family, reading, and dancing.

	Janet Dye BA Michigan State University, MS Northern Illinois University Retired teacher of children with Learning Differences, current tutor of elementary aged children, mother and grandmother. When not at the library: I can be found reading, gardening, quilting, enjoying physical activity, and volunteering for my community and church.

	Jennifer Anderson BA UMASS Lowell, MA Endicott College Special Education Teacher for Brockton Public Schools When not at the library: I like to go hiking and exploring new places with my son.

	Joan Carson BA UMASS Amherst, M. Ed. Fitchburg State University Retired Kindergarten Teacher When not at the library: I enjoy reading, knitting, sewing, traveling, fitness classes, and most of all, time with my children and grandchildren.

	Matthew Gerritsen BA University of Connecticut, Juris Doctor Suffolk University Attorney When not at the library: I can be found watching soccer games, loiter over coffee, and work on our old house.

	Nancy Donnelly BS Psychology M.A.T. BSU Semi-retired piano teacher When not at the library: I can be found playing as a church musician, literacy tutoring, choral singing, and playing piano for a group of singers at the Raynham Senior Center.

	Nancy Sarno BS Ed BSU, Graduate work at BSU and UMASS Boston Retired physical education teacher When not at the library: Retirement has meant more time for reading, gardening, traveling, community service and the grandchildren.

	Stacey DeCotis BA Ed Stonehill College, MA Special Education Lesley University Middle School English Teacher When not at the library: I am spending time with my family, especially outdoors, volunteering for community events, and writing.