State Aid to Public Libraries Funding & Awards

FY2012 STATE AID TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES

The purpose of State Aid to Public Libraries is:

to encourage municipalities to support and improve public library service

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

To receive State Aid to Public Libraries, a municipality and its library must be certified annually. To be certified, a municipal appropriation requirement for the current fiscal year must be met. In addition, minimum standards of public library service must have been met in the previous fiscal year. (M.G.L., Ch. 78, s.19A and 19B, amended by current budget language).

Funding

State Aid to Public Libraries funding is appropriated annually by the legislature. The FY2012 appropriation for State Aid to Public Libraries will be determined when the FY2012 budget is signed..

Disbursement of State Aid to Public Libraries Monies

After a municipality is certified to receive State Aid to Public Libraries, the agency disburses 3 awards, usually combined into one payment:

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, will be distributed by the end of the fourth quarter of FY2012.

The usual statutes and regulations implemented by the Department of Revenue concerning municipal finances apply to State Aid to Public Libraries awards. [Annual state budget language also requires that "any payment made under this item shall be deposited with the treasurer of the city or town and held as a separate account and shall be expended by the public library of such city or town without appropriation" (Ch. 131, Acts of 2010).]

For more information, please contact the Data, Technology, Construction and State Aid Unit.