Don Kempner Warner Saklad v. Cambridge, City of - Public Library (SPR 20170276)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor ofR ecords March 3, 2017 SPR17/276 Karen Brown Deputy Director of Libraries Cambridge Public Library 449 Broadway Cambridge, MA 0213 8 Dear Ms. Brown: I have received the petition of Don Saklad appealing the response of Cambridge Public Library (Library) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 1O A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1 ). Specifically, Mr. Saklad requested a copy of a specifically identified poster on display in the Cambridge Public Library. Mr. Saklad was informed that agents of the Library were apprehensive to share the poster with him after the display had been taken down for fear of divulging personally identifiable information of constituents. Mr. Saklad expressed his displeasure with the Library's decision and petitioned this office. The appeal was opened as a result. Subsequent to the intervention by a staff member of the Public Records Division, I learned that the aforementioned poster has been taken down and disposed of. Representatives from the Library have since been informed that anything on display in a public library is subject to the Public Records Law. To help avoid future confusion, a staff member shared a copy of the Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law handbook with a representative from the Library. During a conversation with a Public Records staff member, the Library indicated that they would provide a supplemental response to Mr. Saklad. Accordingly, I will consider this administrative appeal closed with the proviso that the Library provide said response without delay. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of this response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. Mr. Saklad may appeal the substantive nature of the Library's response within ninety (90) days. See C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Don Saklad One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre• pre@sec.state.ma.us