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

Requirements

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

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

meet its Municipal Appropriation Requirement
meet Minimum Standards of Free Public Library Service
submit annual data and proof of compliance with requirements (see calendar below):
- Annual Report Information Survey (ARIS) (online)
- Financial Report (online)
- State Aid to Public Libraries Application & Compliance Form (in print form)
- Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR) Waiver Application (if necessary, in print form)

Funding

State Aid to Public Libraries funding is appropriated annually to the MBLC by the legislature. Current budget language.

Disbursement of State Aid to Public Libraries Awards

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 by the end of the fourth quarter of the fiscal year.

Calendar

June 2013	ARIS workshops
July 1, 2013	Online ARIS form opens.
Mid-August 2013	State Aid to Public Libraries packet of required print forms sent to libraries.
August 16, 2013	Online submission of the Financial Report opens.
August 23, 2013	Online submission of the Annual Report Information Survey (ARIS) closes.
September 2013	State Aid workshops
October 10, 2013	Online submission of Financial Report closes. State Aid Application & Compliance Form due (Print form). MAR petition due, if necessary (Print form).
November 7, 2013	First group of municipalities meeting requirements are presented to the Board and state aid awards are made
November 14, 2013	Four MAR Waiver application documents due: FY13/FY14 Disproportionate Cut Worksheet. Municipal budget documentation for FY 2013 and FY 2014 that shows the appropriation to each municipal department . Supporting letters/statements from library. Supporting letters/statements from town.
December 5, 2013	Second group of municipalities meeting requirements are presented to the Board and state aid awards are made
January 2, 2014	List of Communities Not Certified posted (updated later if MAR waiver applicants are denied certification)
January 2, 2014	FY2014 MAR waiver applicants are presented to the Board
February 6, 2014	Board acts on FY2014 MAR waiver petitions
March 6, 2014	Board hears any appeals of denial of the FY2014 MAR
April 3, 2014	Board acts on any appeals of denial of the FY2014 MAR

For more information, please contact Dianne Carty at x222 or Liz Babbitt at x227