Berkshire Athenaeum Celebrates National Library Card Month

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield’s public library, in partnership with the Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum, Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., and Pittsfield businesses and organizations is observing National Library Card Sign-up Month in September with a series of special promotions.

A variety of discounts are available to patrons who show their library cards at participating locations. A brochure outlining these offers is available at athenaeum service desks.

Additionally, those who sign up for or renew a library card can enter a raffle to win a $150 Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. gift card and two family memberships to the Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum, provided by the Friends. Entries are accepted at the library’s Circulation Desk and Children’s Desk.

Outreach Librarian Alicia Hyman sees National Library Card Sign-up month as an opportunity to enrich connections in the community.

"This initiative helps spread the word about the free services the library provides while
encouraging the community to support local businesses and organizations," Hyman said.
National Library Card Sign-up Month is an initiative of the American Library Association. Tony Award–winning performer Idina Menzel (Frozen, Wicked) and her sister, author, and educator Cara Mentzel, are the honorary chairs of the 2022 National Library Card Sign-up Month.

The sisters encourage exploring all that libraries have to offer, including new children’s books, access to technology, and educational programming.

The athenaeum is open 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. Monday - Thursday; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday; and 10 a.m.  to 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, go to pittsfieldlibrary.org, info@pittsfieldlibrary.org, or call 413-499-9480, Ext. 4.

Pittsfield Council Gives Preliminary OK to $82M School Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:31PM / Thursday, May 23, 2024

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, with Superintendent Joseph Curtis, says the Student Opportunity Act if fully funded this year. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council left no stone unturned as it took four hours to preliminarily approve the school budget on Monday. At $82,885,277, the fiscal year 2025 spending plan is a $4,797,262 — or 6.14 percent — increase from this year.

It was a divisive vote, passing 6-4 with one councilor absent, and survived two proposals for significant cuts.  

"I think we have judiciary responsibility to the citizens of Pittsfield and to have a budget that is responsible, taking into consideration the huge increase in taxes that it had the last couple of years, the last year in particular," said Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso, a former School Committee chair, who unsuccessfully motioned for a $730,000 reduction.

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren responded with a motion for a $250,000 cut, which failed 5-5.  

The Pittsfield Public School budget is balanced by $1.5 million in cuts and includes about 50 full-time equivalent reductions in staff — about 40 due to the sunsetting of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. With 27 FTE staff additions, there is a net reduction of nearly 23 FTEs.

This plan does not come close to meeting the needs that were expressed throughout the seven-month budget process, Superintendent Joseph Curtis explained, but was brought forward in partnership with all city departments recognizing that each must make sacrifices in financial stewardship.

"With humility, I address the council tonight firmly believing that the budget we unveiled was crafted admits very difficult decisions, struggles, along with some transformative changes," he said.

"It is still important though that it did not even come close to accommodating the urgent requests we received throughout the entire budget process."