Search Results for: Wellesley Free Library opens, a first look

The Wellesley Free Library reopens—a first look

August 5, 2020 by Deborah Brown 3 Comments

We’ve missed the Wellesley Free Library terribly since it closed in March due to COVID-19 concerns, so you can bet we rushed right in to get a first look at the recently re-opened main branch. No matter how many rules we had to follow (and there are a lot of rules) it didn’t matter. We just wanted to drift through one of our old haunts and remember better days.

We managed our expectations and concentrated on molding our behavior to conform to present realities: no congregating, no computers, no copiers, no excessive chit-chat with the staff, no sitting, no bathrooms, no water fountain access. In addition, the library is not at this time taking book donations. But there are books to check out. Lots and lots of books and other materials, waiting to be checked out.

As many as 25 patrons at a time for a maximum stay of 30 minutes currently are allowed in for what Assistant Director Elise MacLennan said is a “soft opening” phase. Nobody timed me while I wandered about. The 30 minutes limit has been put in place for times when there is a line of patrons waiting to get in.

Here are a few pics:

Wellesley Free Library — Assistant Director Elise MacLennan reminds me that the library is closed for cleaning from 2-3pm on all weekdays. (Library hours listed below.)

Main Library hours:

Monday-Thursday, 9am-8pm (9-10am is limited to seniors and high-risk patrons)

Friday 9am-6pm, (9-10am for seniors and high-risk patrons)

Saturday, 10am-3pm

IMPORTANT: The children’s room is scheduled to open at 10am each day the library is open.

IMPORTANT: The library will be closed from 2-3pm for cleaning on all weekdays.

The Hills and Fells branches are not yet open.

Morse Institute Library in Natick reopens—a first look

Blizzard to wallop Wellesley—closures and cancelations abound

January 28, 2022 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Look out, Wellesley’s first blizzard of the season is ready to hit. Forecasters say the area will get total snow accumulations of 20″ or more, along with winds up to 60 mph. There is the potential for power outages. Expect the wild weather to hit at around midnight tonight and last until midnight Saturday night. Driving conditions will be hazardous, with near white-out conditions at times. Snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour is possible at times.

Wellesley DPW and Wellesley Municipal Light Plant are ready to respond to emergencies, but what they really want is for residents stay home and off the roads during this snow event.

Closures/Cancellations

Wellesley Free Library is CLOSED on Saturday (Sunday hours are TBD)
Wellesley Recreation Department weekend classes are CANCELED
Wellesley Public Schools weekend activities are CANCELED

Know before you go

Recycling and Disposal Facility hours for Saturday are questionable and RDF staff is unable to assist drivers who may be stuck in snow. If a State of Emergency is declared, the RDF will close.

Many businesses in town have already made the decision to close on Saturday. So before you try to run out for anything from coffee to a designer handbag, check ahead of time to see if your favorite Saturday haunts are open.

Help out

Clear snow from fire hydrants in your neighborhood. Visit the Town’s Adopt a Fire Hydrant map for locations near your home.

Emergency Numbers

DPW Hotline for Highway, Park & Tree, Water & Sewer, 781-235-7600 x3322
WMLP Report a power outage, 781-235-7600 x3390
Fire Department, 781-235-1300 or 9-1-1
Police Department, 781-235-1212 or 9-1-1

New Wellesley Housing Authority director excited to advocate for residents, staff

January 26, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Housing Authority has appointed Jackie Sullivan as its executive director, a position she has honed her skills for through three years of experience with the organization and via past work with seniors.

Sullivan’s familiarity with the organization shone through when we asked her for a fun fact about the Housing Authority, and she had one at the ready: “Did you know that the bodyguard for the New England Patriots Quarterback Mac Jones grew up in the Wellesley Housing Authority? Yup! And, he was Tom Brady’s bodyguard too.”

The Housing Authority is a state- and federally-funded outfit whose property portfolio includes 246 rental units or housing opportunities for seniors, adults with disabilities, veterans, families, and others who qualify. Sullivan takes the helm at the organization following the departure of Sean Barnicle, who served in the role for two-plus years and left in October for a similar job in his hometown of Norwood.

Community oriented

Sullivan grew up in a family that was very involved in their town and that, she says, “instilled a strong belief in giving back to our community.”

Upon receiving her degree in public administration from Bridgewater State University, Sullivan began working with seniors for the Dedham Council on Aging. “I enjoyed working with the senior population, and to this day, I am an active member of the Council on Aging Board, and I am still in contact with many of ‘my seniors,'” she says.

Wellesley Housing Authority Executive Director Jackie Sullivan

Sullivan learned about housing authorities in that role, and started her Wellesley Housing Authority career as a property manager. While she had no previous Wellesley connections, “I knew it would be the perfect fit,” she said.

“I’m excited to be a strong advocate for our residents and staff,” Sullivan says. “Public housing authorities throughout the Commonwealth are severely underfunded. Executive Directors need to make innovative decisions to maintain our properties to provide adequate housing. I’m up for the challenge!”

Among the opportunities on her radar:

Work with local partners to provide learning opportunities for all residents. Examples: First time home buyers’ programs, budgeting, scams targeting seniors, direct debit options for rent payment
Work towards a community garden at our Washington Street property
Continue to work with the Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development to fill vacancies
Continue creating equitable policies and procedures for residents

We asked about the possible redevelopment of housing at Barton Road, and Sullivan says she looks forward to being part of the process of investigating options. The town and a cast of consultants have been mulling ideas to modernize Wellesley’s public housing stock in a way that will improve life for existing residents, open opportunities to additional people, and make fuller use of the property.

More: Wellesley’s newest Little Free Library opens at Barton Road Community Center

Looking back: Memorable Wellesley photos from 2021

January 1, 2022 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Some of the most memorable photos that help tell Wellesley’s 2021 story….

We love it when readers share Wellesley slice-of-life and other photos with us. Please do: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Wellesley Square clock back in action

ff vaccines wellesley — First responders get vaxxed

Babson College, Wellesley — Babson College gets a community resource dog

sledding elm bank — Elm Bank winter wonderland

stop the hate rally — Wellesley rallies against Asian hate

storefront art — Art to the rescue in empty storefronts

Andrews Pharmacy & Fells Market, Wellesley — Spring blooms in the Fells

Wellesley Village Church — Adirondacks add a splash of color

[Read more…]

Wellesley summer round-up, 2020

September 10, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Welcome back to a post-Labor Day Wellesley that looks a lot different than those of years past. We can remember end-of-summer times when our family just barely skidded back into town ahead of the first day of school. Off we sent the kids, practically tracking beach sand into the classroom.

Times have changed. Given that the Wellesley Public Schools, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, has switched over to a hybrid model of learning that doesn’t start until mid-September, many families may have chosen to hunker down at their summer escape spots for a little while longer. And why not? Remote instruction for students starts September 16th. The transition to a hybrid model that includes in-person instruction will begin on October 1st. So those who have reluctantly left their happy places all too early year after year suddenly have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to extend the season.

Here are some other highlights from Wellesley that you might have missed over the summer:

1) Wellesley residents took to the streets

Hundreds of people, many holding signs bearing the names of those killed in recent years while in police custody, lined Washington Street in Wellesley from Reidy Field past the tennis courts in a mostly silent vigil. SEE PICS.

Wellesley demonstration

The somber crowd, facing the road as honking vehicles drove by, urged justice for George Floyd and an end to police brutality. Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after being pinned to the ground by a police officer who kneeled on his neck for over 8 minutes. READ MORE

2) Wellesley Free Library reopened

We had missed the Wellesley Free Library terribly since it closed in March due to COVID-19 concerns, so you can bet we rushed right in to get a first look at the main branch the second it opened. No matter how many rules we had to follow (and there are a lot of rules) it didn’t matter. We just wanted to drift through one of our old haunts and remember better days. READ MORE.

3) WHS Class of 2020 got its outdoor ceremony

About 200 Wellesley High School graduates took part in a scaled down but still rewarding ceremony to celebrate the Class of 2020’s launch to the future. The entire ceremony clocked in at a bit over an hour and a half. READ MORE. SEE THE VIDEO.

WHS graduation 2020

4) Linden Square art installation refused to go down to coronavirus

Three recent Wellesley High School 2020 graduates took up their paintbrushes and completed a long-planned project for their WHS Art Intensive course. It had been a long time coming. First the public artwork, a 6′ x 27′ mural-style painting on the curved brick wall at the corner of Linden and Everett Streets, faced delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. Next, the artists were challenged by 90+ degree temperatures. No matter, they got out there and made it happen. Project mentor Alexander Golob said, “The result is a joyous and playful mural that showcases various animals doing activities that community members told us they were doing during the pandemic, baking, listening to music, playing soccer, going for picnics.” READ MORE

Linden Square mural — Mural title: “A Town At Play – Finding Meaning During Covid-19.” Photo credit, Alexander Golob

5) Diamonds in the rough at the RDF

Wellesley’s Felicity Bortolan used to remove her wedding ring before showering. But that routine is no more after a close call this summer during a dump run.

“I’m completely fanatical about where I put stuff and my ring, I always take off and put in the same place when I shower,” she says of the jewelry, which marks 21 years of marriage to her husband Paul. “However there were tissues and other things that were on the counter and these covered my ring. In the sheer hurriedness of getting to the dump I swept the trash off the counter and tied the bag. Paul took it to the dump.” READ MORE, SEE THE ROCKS

6) Colette Aufranc won Wellesley BOS seat in special election

Colette Aufranc, who cited her financial experience and school volunteer efforts as prepping her for a seat on Wellesley’s Board of Selectmen, won a close Special Election race over two other candidates. Just over half of all registered voters cast ballots. Aufranc’s competition for the position were Gwen Baker and Odessa Sanchez. READ MORE

7) Wellesley Square clock

Don’t be alarmed if you notice the 2-dial Wellesley Square clock disappearing in coming weeks. It’s getting a facelift and more. This Wellesley landmark is being completely renovated and hopefully will be back before the holiday season, says the Department of Public Works’ Mike Quinn, who is superintendent of the Park & Highway Division. YOU’VE GOT TIME TO READ MORE

8) Wellesley police went for gold with Winnie the dog

The Wellesley Police Department has welcomed Winnie, a 10-month old English Cream Golden Retriever, as its community resource service dog. SEE THE CUTE PUP

9) Mrs. Swellesley has a thing for Phil

It’s not what you think. READ MORE

10) Letter from Wayne the postal worker to the Wellesley community

Wayne says, “For approximately the past 10+ years I have had the pleasure & honor of being your “Window #2 postal clerk” at the Wellesley Square Post Office. It has truly been a great & rewarding run! It is time for me, however, to venture on into life’s next adventure as I will be retiring from the United States Postal Service on June 30th after 32 & 1/2 years of employment.” READ MORE

Latest on Wellesley Free Library’s re-opening

May 21, 2020 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

In issuing its re-opening plan earlier this week, the state included public libraries. They’re allowed to start curbside pickup and delivery as soon as May 25, with “browsing inside the library with restrictions” allowable in phase 2 of the re-opening estimated to be a few weeks later.

Wellesley’s Library Board of Trustees discussed the local library’s plan a week earlier at its meeting and shed light on when you might be able to start seeing the results of some of your physical book holds, at least. Requests for books and other materials continue and thousands of holds have been placed.

Wellesley Free Library Director Jamie Jurgensen says the first step will involve bringing supervisors and leadership into the main library and devising procedures for pulling holds for patrons and accepting returns through the automated materials handler. This could begin as soon as May 26. Figuring out spacing issues to support social distancing for staff and patrons, and getting a handle on personal protection equipment, sanitizer, etc., are also among the first steps being taken.

Wellesley library, main branch — Wellesley Free Library, main branch. Photo by Duncan Brown

Next up is getting additional staff into the building, perhaps as soon as June 1 if protection and sanitation supplies arrive. The library has already received gloves from the Wellesley Fire Department that don’t cut it for first responders but will work fine for handling library materials. A couple of staffers have also been sewing masks that colleagues will be able to use, Jurgensen says. Movable plexiglass shields that will be placed on surfaces between library staff and patrons are also on the way. As with everyone else, Jurgensen has found bleach wipes the hardest things to come by.

“Oh how I would love to be reading a good book rather than state guidelines and PPE protocols,” she wrote to us.

Once staff is in the building they’ll be able to pull customer’ materials holds, answer phones, make acquisitions, do cataloging, and start thinking about things like hours for when the library opens to foot traffic. Other questions will include how to quarantine books. They probably won’t be getting wiped down, but might get quarantined for a few days…a sort of natural quarantine at first as the backlog of books and materials are processed. The thing is though, once the library opens and books are put on display or in shelves, the touching begins.

There will be plenty of sharing of best practices among libraries as they open, Jurgensen says.

The transfer of materials between libraries will depend in large part on how soon other libraries in the network get back in action. Some, like Natick’s Morse Institute Library, have already begun contactless pickup of materials.

Wellesley’s initial services during this comeback period will be for Wellesley residents only. Curbside pickup, which could begin in mid-June (nothing is certain), will look different than an earlier version: materials will likely be left on a table and they’ll have your name on them so that you can grab them without interacting directly with library staff.

Due dates, currently pushed to June 30, will likely be extended again. The real trick there will be remembering where you’ve put your stuff (we have an official shelf in our house, supposedly). We’ve learned our lesson about proper library materials handling (Time for Mrs. Swellesley to pay up at Wellesley Free Library).

When Wellesley’s libraries re-open to public visitors remains to be seen. But considerations will include how many people to let in at once, how to keep people separated, how to handle use of computers, and more.

So for now, library use consists of enjoying the items you already have and making use of online offerings.

“We always wanted people to discover what we offered digitally, but I don’t know that we wanted it in this way or this fast way,” said board member Ann Howley.

More: Wellesley Free Library redesign sounds nice—for when we can all get together again

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Wellesley coronavirus (COVID-19) update: Last civilian in Town Hall; Kitchen Tour is off; helping local restaurants; Town Meeting bumped; can’t stop the crocuses; latest on library

March 17, 2020 by Deborah Brown 3 Comments

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Wellesley. Although the luck of the Irish seems a dram low right now, at Swellesley we’re keeping our spirits up with the hope that the snake that is coronavirus shall be driven out of the land.

The Town has reported that Wellesley currently has seven identified cases of COVID-19: one case confirmed by Center for Disease Control (CDC) testing and six presumed positive cases (which means positive tests that have not yet been confirmed by the CDC).

The last civilian in Town Hall

I stopped in to check out the bulletin board just outside the Town Clerk’s office. I wanted to see if a physical copy of the emergency court order postponing the Town Election was posted. It wasn’t, but you can see the order here.

Nearby, the Tax Collector’s office was staffed, but a line of chairs was placed just inside the doorway to prevent entry.

Back in the parking lot, I cast one last look at Town Hall. Someone was taping a sign to the door (which I didn’t let hit me in the ass on my way out):

Wellesley Town Hall, closed to unauthorized personnel due to COVID-19 concerns.

Speaking of Town Hall, Town Meeting has been bumped from a March 30 start to an April 27 start at Wellesley Middle School.

Helping local restaurants

Restaurants for the time being aren’t allowed to serve eat-in diners but can still provide take-out and home delivery. We’ve had a number of Swellesley readers ask if there might be a way to keep readers up to speed on who is offering what. It’s tricky since things are changing so rapidly and some eateries are more on top of updating their online sites than others, but we’re willing to give it a shot. We can create and update a page with a list of restaurants that are offering such services. If you own or manage one of these establishments (or are a patron and want to pass along communications from such places) please let us know what services you are offering, when, and please keep us updated if things change so that we aren’t sending people places that aren’t open. If you’d like to help us compile this info, please email us theswellesleyreport@gmail.com.

“I took a drive thru town this morning and it seems like a ghost town. I starting thinking about all the small businesses that are suffering because of the virus,” wrote one friendly neighborhood cop. “I stopped in at the Maugus Restaurant to grab a cup of coffee (to go) and it’s sad how empty it was. I wonder if you would consider doing a story on how our local businesses are doing and to drum up the support of our locals to frequent them. The Maugus is a perfect example. Family-owned business for 35 years and they still have rent to pay. They are open for takeout and it would be great if some of our residents supported them and other shops in the same predicament.”

Wellesley Public Schools

From Wellesley Public Schools Supt. David Lussier:

On Friday, March 20th, the district plans to share remote learning resources for parents and students on the Wellesley Public Schools’ website. We will share more details of what this will entail on Thursday, March 19th.

In preparation for remote learning, we are reaching out today to ensure you have Internet connectivity and an Internet connected device to use throughout the school closure period due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

If you need Internet Connectivity, Comcast has offered free resources to help:

Free WiFi Hotspots – If you can see an “xfinitywifi” wireless network, (all lower case) click and join xfinitywifi network. Click for more information
If this does not work, Comcast Internet Essentials now free for 60 days
If you already have Comcast Internet essentials, they are suspending disconnects or late fees and increasing the speed for 60 days.
For all Comcast customers, they are pausing data plans for 60 days.

If you cannot access these free resources or if you need an Internet connected device for your student(s) please fill out our School/Home device connectivity survey so we can help you. We will be collecting this information through 12pm on Thursday, March 19th and will be in touch. Families with demonstrated financial need will be given first priority.

Access to the Internet is very important for your students’ education during this time period. We are committed to supporting our students and will work with you to ensure access to educational resources.

Exercise and play options limited

Municipal buildings aren’t all that are closed in town. Parks, playgrounds and playing fields are also off-limits until further notice. In a Wellesley COVID-19 update, the Town stated, “Playground equipment is not cleaned and may harbor viral material for many days. Residents are asked to exercise, walk dogs and enjoy other activities individually and not congregate. Fields and parks should not be used for pickup games of any kind. Families and children should not use play equipment. Wellesley’s trail system and larger reservations remain open, but when encountering others, please respect social distancing guidelines (6 feet).”

Wellesley Free Library updates

The Wellesley Free Library buildings will be closed through April 7. Late fees are suspended until the Library re-opens to the public.

You can reach the Main Library by phone, Monday – Friday from 9am – 6pm at 781-235-1610. The automated book return is running at the Main Library. Books may be returned through the drive-up book drop 24/7.

Curbside pick up of holds and checked out materials ends on Friday, March 20. Call 781-235-1610 ext. 1114. I called and arranged to pick up my holds later on today. The librarian asked what time I would come and the kind of car I would be driving. How I wish a few weeks ago I had requested 100 items. This will probably be the last of my holds list that makes it to me for some time. That’s because delivery has been suspended state-wide as of 3/17, so items will no longer be delivered from other libraries. The state has disabled the Commonwealth Catalog (Comcat) to prevent new requests while delivery is on hiatus. So I can’t even amuse myself by requesting 1oo things to be ready for me when the library system is once more fully operational. Foiled by those who are wise to people like me.

Books that were on hold at Fells and Hills Branch have been transferred to the Main Library and can be picked up via curbside pick-up.

The Hills and Fells Branches are completely closed. Staff will not be in the library. Book return bins at the branch libraries will be open and will be emptied each morning.

Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club cancels annual Kitchen and Home Tour

The announcement from the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club didn’t come as a surprise. “Following the recommendation from the CDC for no gatherings or events for eight weeks, we as a club are sad to report that we are cancelling Wellesley Kitchen and Home Tour 2020,” vice-president of marketing Jenny Kane said.

The news is disappointing not only for the hard-working club members who, in a true show of all hands on deck, work tirelessly to make the tour go off without a hitch. The gorgeous homes also will miss out on the opportunity to show their stuff, their rooms all dressed up with nobody allowed in to marvel at the pristine condition of every detail. Not to mention the lost revenue for vendors, advertisers in the club’s program book, and more.

COVID-19 trickle down is hitting us right here in Wellesley, where it hurts — in the realm of community service. The Kitchen & Home Tour isn’t just a swanky event. The funds from each $45 ticket go toward providing scholarships for Wellesley students, and to support many charitable organizations.

Last year over $165,000 was given back to the Wellesley community in grants and scholarships. $65,200 alone was awarded to 27 students in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $4,000. Another $100,000 was donated to local charitable organizations.

If you were thinking about attending the WHJWC Kitchen & Home Tour, please consider giving a donation to the club in the amount of this year’s ticket price (or more!), which was set at $45. And if you weren’t going to attend the tour, but just admire the good work the club does, please donate.

Crocuses seen gathering in large groups

Here’s a reminder from nature that COVID-19 notwithstanding, spring is coming, and it’s sure to be spectacular:

Elm Bank Reservation, Wellesley — Crocuses in bloom at Elm Bank Reservation, 900 Washington St., Wellesley.