Editor’s note: Three (3) candidates are on the Mattapoisett Town Election ballot for two (2) open seats on the Trustees of the Public Library.
Ruth Oliver Jolliffe, Incumbent
I am Ruth Oliver Jolliffe, and I am running for reelection for trustee of the Mattapoisett Free Public Library. Books and libraries have been my lifelong interest. Before I retired, I was the associate director of a large, independent library in Boston. From that experience, I gained insight and knowledge into how libraries serve their communities well. During my tenure as a member of the Board of Trustees of the MFPL, I have come to know the staff, the library, and much of the Mattapoisett community it serves. The well-being of the town and especially the role of the Mattapoisett library in this town and beyond is of great importance to me. The library serves a wide community of people of all ages and interests, with not only a large collection of books and printed materials from on site and available from other libraries, but children’s programs, cultural events, musical performances, fishing rods, games, art programs, etc. The library offers the opportunity for all to explore, to discover, and to learn. By continuing to increase our knowledge, we expand our horizons of enjoyment and understanding. I appreciate the vital role of trustees as overseers, working with management and staff to make the best decisions for the future. As a trustee of the Mattapoisett Library, I am honored to serve, to encourage, and to support the work of the library and its dedicated Director, Jennifer Jones. I look forward to continuing as a trustee. I hope I may count on your vote on election day, May 16, 2023.
Paul Criscuolo, Challenger
I’m Paul Criscuolo and I am seeking the office of Trustee of the Mattapoisett Free Public Library. I am asking for your support and vote because I know that you believe, as I do, our library is a unique and treasured asset to our community. We all are familiar with the explosion of digital media and the decline of the “printed word.” Whether we use a Kindle, a smart phone or iPad, the relevance of the traditional book is declining. I believe that decline is not correlated to the relevance of our library to our community. Our library is more than a collection of shelves filled with books. It “serves” the community in numerous ways beyond our common assumptions. It provides meeting space for many community organizations, reading groups on diverse topics, digital movies, film clubs, learning classes, resources for research and even a “Library of Things” that includes a ukelele and fishing poles. That list grows as our library team seeks new ways to enrich our community. I want to be a part of that effort. I have devoted a substantial portion of my life to volunteer community service. I bring an extensive background in organization and project management as a senior executive of three Fortune 100 sized enterprises. I am an avid reader and book collector (I like the paper ones!) Rhonda and I have owned a home in Mattapoisett for 20 years. We have been full-time residents for the past five years. Rhonda’s Mattapoisett roots begin with her grandparents’ humble home on Mahoney’s Lane. Her dad’s name is proudly displayed on the Veterans of WWII sign in Town Hall. I envision this position as supporting and advising the director and her staff as they pursue the agenda they believe best serves our community. Our library is always in need of financial and community support. Books in every form must be bought and roofs repaired. If my service is of any value, it will be to convince my fellow citizens that, despite the digital phenomenon, our library is relevant, vibrant and a symbol of the best of Mattapoisett.
William Coquillette, Challenger
I seek to serve as a Library Trustee because: (1) I love the library and have a proven record of support for it, and (2) I feel my experience as a board member, business lawyer and leader will benefit the library. I currently serve as President of the Mattapoisett Library Trust, the nonprofit organization that raises funds to support special projects at the library. I have served on the trust for four years and was a member of the search committee for the current Director of the Library. Those experiences have given me valuable insight into the needs, challenges and opportunities of the library. I have many years of other experience on boards to contribute to the library as well. Currently I am co-president/board member of the Buttonwood Park Zoological Society, treasurer/board member of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path and clerk/board member of the Bay Club at Mattapoisett. I have led and served many other nonprofits over the years based on a desire to know and support my community. Professionally, I have led and served many for-profit boards for large and small companies. All of this board work has honed my skills in financial management and strategic planning, which will be important in guiding the library into the future. As a business lawyer, my job was to solve problems and bring people together to find common solutions. I believe in being practical, not ideological. I do my homework, listen to what others have to say, and work to create a consensus around key decisions. That’s the approach I would bring as a library trustee. Finally, an important benefit of the library for me is the full and free access it gives me to the information and culture of the world. I believe the library should be inclusive and respectful of all. My overall goal as library trustee would be to work constructively with others to help make the library the best asset it can be for all of the citizens of Mattapoisett.