Reflections on the Past Year
From the desk of the Library Director

The end of 2022 coincides with the completion of my first year as the Director of the Hopkinton Public Library. We managed to accomplish quite a bit together.  With funding from the Hopkinton Public Library Foundation, we were able to begin offering a Library of Things. We officially launched this new collection on October 22nd with a day of demonstrations. Patrons that visited were able to “Meet the Things” and check them out.  Our LoT continues to grow.  We currently offer puzzles, electronic snap circuits, an energy audit kit, tabletop games, a bird watching kit, a telescope, and technology, such as Codemaster: a Programming Logic Game.  In the coming year, look for more items to be added, such as musical instruments and household items.  Why buy when you can rent?

I worked with Hopkinton’s Age and Dementia Friendly Initiative to offer Memory Kits for family and friends of those living with dementia. Funds for these kits were donated by the Friends of the Senior Center. Kits include items around a theme, designed to stimulate memories and conversations.  Current kits include these themes: Winter, Diwali, Christmas, Baseball, Pets, Transportation, Hanukkah, the 1940s, 1950s,  and 1960s. Additional themes include Ramadan and Eid, Chinese New Year, and For the Caregiver.  These kits continue to be popular circulating items.  I will be analyzing the collection in the new year and possibly adding new themes. 

Memory Caf?s continue to be jointly offered by the Senior Center and the Library.  I recently attended an event featuring a musical trio.  It was a wonderful experience to meet the families that attend the Caf?s. The next caf?  will be held on January 5th from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at the Senior Center. I have truly enjoyed my work with the town’s Age and Dementia-Friendly Community and look forward to our continued cooperation.

As part of the town’s commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, library staff participated in small group discussions sponsored by Human Resources. Many thanks to HR for providing this opportunity for growth.  The Library staff is committed to making everyone feel welcome.  EDIB is at the forefront in all of our discussions and initiatives.

One of my goals upon arriving in Hopkinton was to do a diversity audit of our collection.  Using funds received by the state, we had the company that we order our books through, examine and compare our collection to other public libraries across the country. The report specifically focussed on the following interests - Asian, Black, Indigenous, Jewish, Latinx, LGBTQIA, Mental Health, Middle Eastern, Multicultural, Muslim, and Neurodivergent.  As the report that we received indicates, we are doing better than the average of public libraries in including diverse titles and authors in our collection. The average American public library’s collections are 14% inclusive and 86% other titles.  Hopkinton's collection includes 17% diverse titles and authors, vs. 83% other titles. Although we are glad to be ahead of the curve, we still have lots of work to do.  The report that we received included lists of diverse titles that we might want to add to our collection in order to have it be even more inclusive.  Each department will be working over the course of the new year to add more of these diverse works. Now that’s something to look forward to!

Speaking of diversity, we're starting a new passive "book club" for all ages! Starting in January, patrons can check out a book related to a theme. January’s theme  is Holocaust Remembrance. The Children's, Young Adult, and Adult departments have chosen the following titles respectively:  The Tree in the Courtyard by Gottesfeld, White Bird by Palacio, and Send for Me by Fox. Patrons can stop by the library's lobby anytime during January and check out one or more of these titles. Discussion questions will accompany these titles so that patrons may ponder them individually or discuss them with friends and family.  

Click Here To View The Hopkinton Public Library News - January 2023