Malden Library Honors Two Maldonians With New Meeting Rooms

MALDEN, MA – The Malden Public Library honored two Maldonians by dedicating two new study rooms to the outstanding citizens, officials announced on Thursday.

George Holland Jr. and Joseph F. Lawless III were both long-time library trustees in Malden and “outstanding Maldonians,” officials wrote in a news release. Holland Jr. passed away in 2016 and Lawless III passed away in 2020.

Holland Jr. was a trustee of the Malden Public Library from 1985 to 2016. He was born in Malden and graduated from Malden High School in 1955. After completing a bachelor’s and master's degree at Boston College in physics, Holland Jr. went on to receive a doctoral degree from Yale University in nuclear physics.

He returned to Malden to teach math and served as director of math from 1973 to 1976. He then became assistant superintendent of schools from 1976 to 1984, and later superintendent from 1984 to 2000.

Always an active supporter for education and the library, Holland played a major role in expanding the library with the building of the library’s 1996 Park Street addition.

Lawless III was a library trustee from 1996 to 2020. A lifelong resident of Malden, Lawless graduated from Malden Catholic High School and went on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Boston College. He taught political science as an invited professor at Boston College and Suffolk University for many years.

Lawless III was extremely involved in local Malden politics. He was the past deputy mayor serving under Malden Mayor James Conway, a former deputy director of the Malden Housing Authority, a board member at the Immigrant Learning Center and a board member at Mystic Valley Elder Services. Lawless III served for more than 20 years on the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee and as Chair of the Malden Democratic City Committee as well.

The trustees of the Malden Public Library dedicated two new meeting rooms to Holland Jr. and Lawless III.

Each room can accommodate up to three people and can be reserved online or by calling the Malden Public Library. Users must have an active library card, be in good standing and a resident of Malden. For more information contact the Malden Public Library at 781-324-0218 or visit https://maldenpubliclibrary.or...