Southborough tricentennial committee secures Friends funding for library history talk, weighs AI audio and event logistics

The Town of Southborough Tricentennial Committee met on July 15 and moved several program pieces forward for next year’s 300th anniversary. Library director Ryan Donovan told the committee that the Friends of the Library agreed to fully fund a tailored lecture by the Gravestone Girls, whose local presentation would cost $750, and pledged to coordinate scheduling with tricentennial events.

The library‑centered history talks drew the meeting’s longest discussion. Donovan said the Friends group wants events to remain free where possible but accepted that some popular, ticketed registrations might be necessary to manage crowds and costs. “They went $750, which is higher than about double what we normally pay for a program like that,” Donovan said, adding the Friends had offered to fund the session so it could proceed. Committee member Patty suggested using pre‑registration or free tickets to limit attendance and help the Friends budget for larger tricentennial events.

Committee members also raised programming conflicts and legal questions. One member cautioned that the committee is staging a separate historical reenactment and asked the group to avoid duplication; another asked whether gravestone rubbings are legal in Massachusetts (a participant stated, “are, in fact, illegal in Massachusetts”). Donovan clarified the proposal was for a lecture only, not in‑field rubbings, and agreed to coordinate calendars and check any legal concerns.

Sam, a committee participant, proposed using an AI‑produced musical history project that includes about 20 short “chapters” about local stories. Sam said the AI output was generated from web sources and is not fully fact‑checked but offered transcripts and a condensed handout. “There may be some tweaks, occasional periodic historical inaccuracies,” he said, and recommended presenting the material with an explicit caveat and local review before public distribution. Members liked the idea of short clips for social media and suggested engaging Algonquin High School students or a volunteer to help edit and package the material for events.

Logistics for large, headline events advanced as well. Andrew reported the drone company placed the town on its calendar for January 1–2 and that the committee will need to finalize a contract and deposit. The firefighters’ union told the committee it would run a planned bonfire; members recommended pairing any bonfire with other activities (food, a schedule, or the drone show) rather than as a standalone attraction. The parade working group circulated participant contracts and standards, and the committee instructed working‑group members to re‑engage prospective participants and report back.

Other items included banner work with utility owners (the committee is assembling photos and pole numbers to submit to National Grid and Verizon), time capsule planning with youth groups, T‑shirt and merchandise sales (early runs sold out of some sizes), and a live tricentennial website that still needs calendar entries and sponsor packages. The committee approved the June 10 minutes by voice vote; one member announced an abstention saying they were not sure they had attended that meeting.

Next steps: Donovan said the library and Friends will continue scheduling history talks and coordinating volunteers; Sam will provide condensed transcripts and clip suggestions for committee review; working groups will follow up on parade participants, drone contract finalization, and banner photo collection ahead of the committee’s next meeting on August 12.

The committee adjourned following the scheduled business and updates.