Massachusetts Public Library Trustees Handbook
| Massachusetts Laws Pertaining to Libraries | ||
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Chapter 3. Legal Responsibilities |  |
It is advisable for trustees and library director to acquire a familiarity with local, state and federal laws which may have an impact on library management by consulting with local municipal officials and other authorities.
Although there are many Massachusetts laws which could apply to library management, the following table shows a selective index of library laws which have a broad impact on the board of trustees and which are particularly relevant to the general administration of Massachusetts public libraries. Massachusetts General Laws may be accessed online at the Board of Library Commissioner's MBLC web site at http://mblc.state.ma.us.
| A Selective List of Massachusetts Laws Pertaining to Libraries | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Chapter | Section(s) | ||||||
| Anti-Discrimination Law | 151B | 1-10 | ||||||
| Anti-Obscenity Law | 272 | 28, 29, 29B, 31 | ||||||
| Charitable Corporations | 180 | 1-11C, 26-26B | ||||||
| Confidentiality of Library Records | 4, 66 | 7(26), 10 | ||||||
| Conflict of Interest | 268A | 17-25 | ||||||
Crimes:
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| Disturbance of Libraries | 272 | 41 | ||||||
| Dog Tax Law | 140 | 147A, 172 | ||||||
| Due Process Legislation Written Policy for Selection of Materials Written Employment Contracts with Library Directors |
78 | 33,34 | ||||||
| Funds, Receipt of Revolving Funds | 78 | 53, 53A, 53E1/2 | ||||||
| Handicapped Access to Public Buildings | 22 | 13A | ||||||
| Harmful to Minors Act | 272 | 28, 31 | ||||||
| Joint Libraries | 78 | 11 | ||||||
| Labor Relations: Public Employees | 150E | 1-15 | ||||||
| Liability | 258 | |||||||
| Libraries: | ||||||||
| Establishment of Free Public Libraries | 78 | 1, 7-9 | ||||||
| Board of Library Commissioners | 78 | 19 | ||||||
| Regional Public Library Service | 78 | 19C, 19D, 19F | ||||||
| Library and Information Network | 78 | 19L | ||||||
| Lost Materials: Use of Recovered Money | 44 | 53 | ||||||
| Open Meeting Law | 39 | 23A-C, 24 | ||||||
| Public Records | 66 | 1-18 | ||||||
| Smoking in Public Places | 270 | 21-22 | ||||||
| State Aid to Cities and Towns for Free Public Libraries | 78 | 19A, B | ||||||
| Articles of Amendment to the Constitution of Massachusetts | Art XVIII | 2 | ||||||
| Trust Funds | 44 | 54, 55B | ||||||
| Trustees of Town Libraries | 78 | 10-13 | ||||||
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| Liability |  |
Chapter 4. Policy Making |