PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Some Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum volunteers have been having trouble finding parking in the upper lot upon arriving in the morning, one board member said during the Library Trustees meeting last week. 

 

After much frustration one volunteer did a “robust investigation, into what the cultpet and determined that the parking issues occur after district court starting time. 

 

The volunteer suspects that the spaces are being taken up by people who have court appearances at 9.  

 

She arrived at this conclusion because the upper parking lot is full when the library has yet to be open but when the volunteer returns at 10 the lot returns to its normal activity. 

 

Administrative Services Supervisor Joanne Murphy has been taking plate numbers gathered by the volunteers so that violators can be ticketed. 

 

Although violators are ticketed, one board member said that the volunteer noted that police have better things to do than sit in the library parking lot every morning from 8:15 until 9. 

 

The parking concern is more burdensome to some volunteers than others because there are still places to park but not everybody is agile, the board member said.  

 

People parking in the lot when they are not visiting the library has been a constant problem, another board member said. 

 

He noted that the library would need a full time staff member if they wanted someone to speak to the violators face to face informing them of the restricted parking but that is not possible and even if they did oftentimes the violator just moves their car to the lower lot. 

 

One board member asked if they could reach out to the district court to explain the issue they have been having so that an announcement can be made or a sign can be hung on the desk. 

 

However another member mentioned that the violator would have already parked and it is unlikely they would move because of an announcement

 

The board member who raised the concern said the volunteer recommended that the library invest in getting a metal gate and bar entrance to the parking lot until a designated time.

 

A discussion on Berkshire Athenaeum parking will be added to the future agenda item.