MANUAL FOR THE GENERAL COURT- Treasure of the State Library for December 2010

Where does one go to find a listing of all members of the legislature or the names of all State Auditors who have served the Commonwealth? What are the names of the cities and towns in a particular county? How can one locate a list of the proclamations which must, by law, be done by the Governor or the rules of the Massachusetts House of Representatives or State Senate. Or the General Court's joint rules? Is there a list somewhere of where I can determine how long the legislative session of 1910 lasted? How may I find a seating chart for the House of Representatives during the Civil War?

Answers to these questions and to many many more can be found in a much-used "treasure" in the State Library, the Manual for the General Court. The library owns these "gems" starting with the year 1858 and they are available not only in the Library, but from our Digital Depository.

When you have an inquiry about Massachusetts state government, the State Library is the place to contact. And, it may happen that your question can be answered by referencing this wonderful source.

Pamela W. Schofield
Reference Department
State Library of Massachusetts

Ware Report

The State Library is announcing the availability of the recently released WARE REPORT on the Probation Department. The full text document is online at http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/bitstream/handle/2452/54291/ocn682159342.pdf?sequence=1.

Attorney Paul F. Ware, Jr. of the law firm of Goodwin Procter LLP was appointed by the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court on May 24, 2010 "to conduct a prompt and thorough administrative inquiry into alleged improprieties with respect to the hiring and promotion of employees within the Probation Department, as well as other practices and management decisions within the Probation Department that have been called into question." (1)

The Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court issued a statement relative to the Independent Counsel's report, which can be found at http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/54313

(1) Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court No. OE-123.

The Reference Department

Library closed for Thanksgiving

The Library will be closed Thursday in observance of Thanksgiving. Regular hours in the Main Reading Room (Room 341) and the Periodical Balcony will resume Friday. Please come to the Main Reading Room first for access to Special Collections materials on Friday.

The Main Reading Room and the Periodicals Balcony are open Monday through Friday from 9:00AM until 5:00PM. Special Collections' usual hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00AM until 1:00PM and by appointment. Please call 617.727.2595 if an appointment is needed.

image: Thanksgiving in a camp during the U.S. Civil War on Nov. 28, 1861. Alfred Rudolph Waud, artist.

Sculpted to Inspire: John Davis Long

Who was the 32nd Governor of Massachusetts

and

the 34th United States Secretary of the Navy
and

represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives
from the 2nd District in the late 1800’s?

JOHN DAVIS LONG

Please visit the State Library in Room 341 between
November 15 and December 24, 2010
to see the sculpture of this former Governor.

The “Sculpted to Inspire” series is sponsored by the
Friends of the State Library.

Bond Issues

The Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority, which issues bonds for cultural, educational and medical institutions in the Commonwealth, was recently merged into MassDevelopment by Chapter 240 of the Acts of 2010.

HEFA, as it was formerly known, has a pooled loan program and issues tax exempt revenue bonds.

The State Library has over 60 of these bond issues in both paper copies and online . Examples of bond issues for hospitals and educational institutions that have recently been promulgated are: University of Massachusetts; Williams College; Wheaton College; Cape Cod Healthcare; Children's Hospital Catholic Health East System and Northeastern University. Bond issues help to strengthen the Massachusetts economy both privately and publicly.

MassDevelopment is the Commonwealth's primary source of public financing for economic development projects.

Reference Dept.

Library Closed on Veterans' Day

The Library will be closed Thursday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans' Day. Regular hours will resume Friday. The Main Reading Room and the Periodicals Balcony are open Monday through Friday from 9:00AM until 5:00PM. Special Collections' hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00AM until 1:00PM and by appointment. Please call 617.727.2595 if an appointment is needed.

BROWN BAG ON HEALTH CARE REFORM

Health Care Reform---Is the dream within our grasp, or is it slipping through our fingers?

Join us for a BROWN BAG LUNCH on
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
State Library of Massachusetts
Room 442 State House
12 noon until 1:30 PM

One of the most debated issues in Massachusetts and in the country today is health care. The state’s program is in the forefront of discussions about this all-important subject.

Bring your lunch and hear Dolores Mitchell, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission and an expert in the field, speak about this omnipresent concern, about current trends and programs--- and about what the future might hold.

To register for the Brown Bag, please
go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TGHPHJP
You may also do so by calling Reference directly at 617-727-2590 or by e-mailing us at reference.department@state.ma.us.

Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library

Future Brown Bags will include:
December 16th - Marnie Warner, Massachusetts Trial Court Libraries
January 13th 2011 - Brian Harkins, the Social Law Library
February 10th, 2011 - Ken Gloss, the Brattle Bookshop
March, 2011 - Bette L. Siegel, State Library, Federal Digital System
April, 2011 - Lacy Crews Stoneburner, State Library, Preservation
May, 2011 - Neil Savage, The History of the General Court

Pamela Schofield
Legislative Librarian

Election Day

Today (Tuesday, November 2, 2010) is Election Day. Please don't forget to exercise your right to vote today. Polls are open from 7:00am to 8:00pm across the state.

Please visit the Secretary of State's website for information about the candidates who are up for election, the ballot questions, and where to vote.

Health Care Delivery

Seena Carrington, Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer, will provide an overview of the key responsibilities of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, an agency within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. She will highlight recent efforts to analyze health care cost trends in the Commonwealth and provide a brief description of upcoming initiatives.

When: Thursday, Nov. 4
Time: noon - 1:00 PM
Where: State Library, Room 442 State House

Please join us to learn more about the Division. This program is designed to provide information to assist state agency and legislative personnel in their work, whether with constituents or legislation.

Feel free to bring your lunch. Refreshments served. To register, please call 617.727.2590 or email reference.department@state.ma.us

Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library.