State Aid to Public Libraries

State Aid to Public Libraries is an annual, voluntary program administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

The purpose of State Aid to Public Libraries is:

to encourage municipalities to support and improve public library service
to encourage reciprocal resource sharing among libraries across Massachusetts
to compensate for disparities among municipal funding capacities
to offset additional costs to municipalities whose libraries circulate materials to patrons from other certified Massachusetts municipalities

A municipality and its library must be certified by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commisioners to receive State Aid to Public Libraries.

To be certified each fiscal year, a library & its municipality must:

State Aid to Public Libraries funding is appropriated annually by the legislature.

After a municipality is certified to receive State Aid to Public Libraries, the agency disburses 3 awards in several payments:

Library Incentive Grant (LIG) - disbursed to all certified municipalities based on population. Encourages municipalities to support and improve public library service.

Municipal Equalization Grant (MEG) - disbursed to all certified municipalities using a calculation based on the state lottery formula. Compensates for disparities among municipal funding capacities.

Nonresident Circulation Offset (NRC) - disbursed to offset additional costs to municipalities whose libraries circulate materials to patrons from other certified Massachusetts municipalities.

Additional funds, if available, are distributed at the end of the fourth quarter of the fiscal year.

June 2011	ARIS workshops held
July 1, 2011	Online ARIS form opens
Mid-August 2011	State Aid to Public Libraries packet sent to libraries
August 15, 2011	Online submission of the Financial Report opens.
August 26, 2011	Online submission of the Annual Report Information Survey (ARIS) closes
September 2011	State Aid workshops held
October 14, 2011	Online submission of Financial Report closes State Aid Application & Compliance Form due (Print form) MAR petiton due, if necessary (Print form)
November 3, 2011	First group of municipalities meeting requirements are presented to the Board and state aid awards are made
November 12, 2011	Four MAR Waiver application documents due: (1) FY11/FY12 Disproportionate Cut Worksheet, (2) municipal budget documentation for FY 2011 and FY 2012 that shows the appropriation to each municipal department and (3 & 4) two supporting letters/statements as described on the petition
December 1, 2011	Second group of municipalities meeting requirements are presented to the Board and state aid awards are made
January 1, 2012	List of Communities Not Certified posted (updated later if MAR waiver applicants are denied certification)
January 5, 2012	FY2012 MAR waiver applicants are presented to the Board
February 2, 2012	Board acts on FY2012 MAR waiver petitions
March 1, 2012	Board hears any appeals of denial of the FY2012 MAR
April 5, 2012	Board acts on any appeals of denial of the FY2012 MAR

For more information, please contact Dianne Carty at x222