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A study completed in 1944 recognized that library support in small towns would always be limited because of the narrow tax base. To address this, the study recommended that the
Centers be strengthened, that other types of coordinated services be provided, and that additional state funding be made
372:, driver/clerk, and office assistant. Bookmobile service was provided to local libraries, school and deposit stations located at homes in outlying areas, post offices, gasoline stations, and general stores. Each bookmobile was supported with a 12,000-volume book collection.
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WMRLS was governed by a
Council of Members representing the Region's member libraries. The annual operating budget and Plan of Service were approved by the Council of Members and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
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There were six regional library systems in
Massachusetts. All were administered by the MBLC. When the other regional entities voted to merge to form the Massachusetts Library System in 2010, WMRLS went into dormancy.
298:, U.S. WMRLS assisted member libraries in promoting access to services. It ceased operations on June 30, 2010 as part of a statewide merger of regional library services into a single entity (
368:, donated by the Massachusetts State Federation of Women's Clubs, Massachusetts Library Aid Association, and Massachusetts Library Association. Staffing consisted of a professional
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served 18 towns in southeastern
Massachusetts. The Centers were administered by the state Division of Library Extension and funded for the first two years with money from the
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Between 1940 and 1953 each Center occupied rent-free quarters in its host library, located in
Pittsfield, Greenfield, or Fall River. Operating from each Center was a
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Consulting services provided by the professional bookmobile librarian to local libraries were very limited because of the number of libraries served.
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tried to win legislative support for a plan to improve library services as recommended by the study, but no plan evolved.
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Regional library service in
Massachusetts began in 1940 when three Regional Library Centers were established. One in
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Membership in WMRLS was open to any library within western
Massachusetts that met the basic requirements set by the
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The 12,000-volume book collection did not provide sufficient materials for the population of the service area
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302:, or MLS). WMRLS existed in a state of dormancy from 2010-2017. The WMRLS corporation was dissolved in 2017.
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Service areas were too large to be served by one bookmobile (which took six weeks to visit each location)
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Three major weaknesses in the
Regional Library Center program were identified soon after its formation:
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Proposals to cut funding for WMRLS as of July 1, 2010 were reported on in the
Greenfield Recorder.
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available to equalize library services where inequalities existed. Between 1945 and 1948, the
423:"Western Massachusetts Regional Library System – Special Collections and University Archives"
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290:(WMRLS), was a collaborative that was supported by the state of
361:(WPA). The state assumed funding responsibility in 1942.
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Regional library system of
Western Massachusetts, U.S.
90:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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99:"Western Massachusetts Regional Library System"
288:Western Massachusetts Regional Library System
242:Western Massachusetts Regional Library System
484:Defunct organizations based in Massachusetts
314:(MBLC). There was no charge for membership.
312:Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
375:The WMRLS was formally organized in 1962.
191:. Please do not remove this message until
229:Learn how and when to remove this message
211:Learn how and when to remove this message
150:Learn how and when to remove this message
187:Relevant discussion may be found on the
479:2010 disestablishments in Massachusetts
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489:Libraries disestablished in the 2010s
474:1940 establishments in Massachusetts
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353:Counties; and one in
296:western Massachusetts
279:http://www.wmrls.org/
269:Western Massachusetts
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247:Abbreviation
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82:Please help
77:verification
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468:Categories
432:2017-08-09
406:References
366:bookmobile
355:Fall River
343:Greenfield
335:Pittsfield
178:neutrality
110:newspapers
39:improve it
370:librarian
351:Hampshire
341:; one in
255:Dissolved
189:talk page
45:talk page
379:Problems
347:Franklin
306:Overview
201:May 2023
182:disputed
140:May 2023
458:archive
329:History
275:Website
264:Region
124:scholar
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250:WMRLS
131:JSTOR
117:books
349:and
286:The
258:2017
175:The
103:news
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
