http://mblc.state.ma.us/News ReleasesAt its February Board meeting the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) certified the final round of libraries for the State Aid to Public Libraries Program. For FY2012 state aid grants total over $6.8 million and were awarded to 340 libraries that applied for the voluntary programhttp://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr020812.phpMillis Public Library Director Tricia Perry calls Millis "a small community with a huge heart" - sentiments echoed by state and local officials as well as Millis residents as they gathered on December 17, 2011 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Millis Public Library.http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr112712.phpThe Holyoke community was joined by state and local officials in the celebration of the groundbreaking of their public library project on November 17, 2011. Holyoke City Councilor Aaron Vega praised the project, “This 21st century library will revitilize our downtown and demonstrates Holyoke’s investment in education for all its residents.” In a community in which 85% of the children are from low-income families, 51% come from homes where English is not the first language, and 26% are special education students the need for services the library provides is evident. “This library will give these students access to technology and resources that might otherwise be unavailable to them and provide them with a quiet space to do homework,” said Susan Carey member of the Library Board of Directors. http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/112311.phpMary Kronholm of Blandford was recently appointed by Governor Deval Patrick to serve on the nine-member Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). Supporters of Western Massachusetts Libraries celebrated the appointment by hosting a special swearing in ceremony for Ms. Kronholm which was attended by many members of the library community as well as State Senator Michael Knapik and State Representative William “Smitty” Pignatelli. Both legislators presented Ms. Kronholm with citations noting her many years of library advocacy, especially of libraries in small communities. http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr112211.phpAt its November Board Meeting the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners approved partial FY2012 State Aid awards, totaling $599,955 to 89 municipalities that have met State Aid to Public Libraries Program requirements. The awards are roughly half of the total state aid funding that libraries will receive. Since 2008 the economic climate and concerns over library funding have prompted the Board to make partial awards. Additional payments to libraries are expected toward the end of the grant cycle in the springhttp://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr111104.phpOver 370,000 participate in statewide summer reading programming.Children, teens, and adults turned out in record numbers this summer to participate in statewide summer reading programs in libraries across the Commonwealth. Summer Reading Programs, co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), the Massachusetts Library System (MLS), and the Boston Bruins, aim to keep families reading over the summer months. “Reading over the summer strengthens the skills students need to succeed academically, “said MLS Consultant Sarah Sogigian. “Adults who read and parents who read with their children set an example of reading for enjoyment and help children grow into lifelong readers.”http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr111103.phpLibrary projects in the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program that attain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification are receiving additional funding from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The Green Library Incentive, created by the MBLC in 2008, encourages the recipients of the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) provisional construction grants to incorporate green or sustainable elements in their building projects. http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr111024.phpThe Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce that Shelley Quezada, Consultant for the Underserved, is the 2011 winner of the New England Library Association’s (NELA) Emerson Greenaway Award for Distinguished Service in Librarianship. Ms. Quezada was honored at NELA’s annual conference banquet on October 2, 2011 where she was presented with the award by NELA’s past President Rick Taplin.http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr111025.phpMassachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ (MBLC) Research Librarian and Friends Liaison, Brian Donoghue recently announced his retirement. “Brian is one of the most respected librarians in the state, the Board and the library community will certainly miss his expertise,” said Robert C. Maier, MBLC Director. http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr111017.phpFor the second time this summer, Federal and state officials have opened a public library as a disaster recovery center (DRC). In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, Pittsfield’s Public Library, the Berkshire Athenaeum, opened as one of two area DRCs in western Massachusetts. The other is located in a financial building in Williamstown. http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr110913.phpMary Ann Cluggish of Wellesley was recently appointed to a two-year term on the nine-member Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) by Governor Deval Patrick. The MBLC is responsible for library services across the Commonwealth including the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, federal Library Services and Technology Act grants, regional library services, and online statewide resources. http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr110912.phpThe Massachusetts Friends of Libraries and the Massachusetts Library Trustees Association are co-sponsoring their 16th annual conference on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at the Worcester Technical High School. The conference provides an opportunity for Friends and Trustees to learn about and discuss issues affecting the Commonwealth's libraries.http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr110911.phpAt its Board Meeting at Northborough Free Library on Thursday, July 14, 2011, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) voted to award General Construction Provisional Grants totaling $28,448,989 to eight communities. “With library use at an all-time high, these grants will help libraries meet the growing library needs of their residents,” said Katherine Dibble, MBLC Chair.http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr110714.phpAt its July Board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) awarded $725,184 in 44 grants to 44 public, academic, school and special libraries, and library networks across the Commonwealth under the Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/nr1107142.phpFederal and state officials have opened the Jacob Edwards Library in Southbridge as a disaster recovery center (DRC) after tornados devastated communities in western Massachusetts on June 1. The library is one of nine area DRCs where the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Massachusetts Emergency Management (MEMA), the Small Business Administration and other recovery agencies meet residents and provide face-to-face assistance with insurance, health care, unemployment and crisis counseling. The centers also offer information on historic preservation for cultural institutions.http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2011/110621.php