MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on December 3 (Hybrid)
Contact: Rachel Masse
The regular monthly board meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 9AM on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the MBLC Office, 90 Canal Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA.
IMLS Protected by Major Court Ruling as Appeal Moves Forward in Boston
UPDATE: as of 11:30AM 11/26/2025, the December 4 hearing has been canceled.
On Friday, November 21, U.S. District Court Chief Judge for the District of Rhode Island John J. McConnell blocked the effort to eliminate the IMLS in a case filed by attorneys general from 21 states, including Massachusetts. An upcoming First Circuit Court of Appeals hearing is scheduled for Thursday, December 4, 2025, at John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in the Trump administration’s appeal of the preliminary injunction that was issued in Rhode Island v. Trump. For more on the details on viewing or attending the upcoming hearing and IMLS funding for FY2026, visit the MBLC website.
Packed House at Dedication for New Swansea Free Public Library
Contact: Celeste Bruno
State and local officials joined residents, library trustees, and staff on Saturday, November 8, 2025, to celebrate the grand opening of the new Swansea Free Public Library. The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together hundreds of people from the community and marked the completion of the long-anticipated project which was supported in part by a $7.7 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). For more on Swansea’s new library, visit the MBLC website.
2025 Commissioner Award Winners Honored at State House
Contact: June Thammasnong
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) celebrated its 135th anniversary at the Massachusetts State House with the 2025 Commissioner Awards Ceremony, honoring individuals and organizations whose leadership and advocacy have strengthened library services across the Commonwealth. More photos of the event are available at the 135th Anniversary Commissioner Awards MBLC flickr album. For more on the ceremony, visit the MBLC website.
FY26 State Aid Certifications Continue!
Contact: Cate Merlin, Jen Inglis
Congratulations to the first group of municipalities certified for FY26 State Aid! The list of municipalities and initial awards (as well as past awards) can be found here: https://mblc.state.ma.us/programs-and-support/state-aid-and-aris/awards.php
The second group of municipalities to be certified will be brought before the Board of Library Commissioners at their December 3rd meeting, and certifications will continue at the January meeting. We’ll email the State Aid listserv after each meeting with a list of municipalities certified and their initial State Aid grant awards- Directors, be sure you’re signed up here: https://mblc.state.ma.us/sympa/info/stateaid.
We’re taking a break from State Aid Office Hours so we can focus on certifying all municipalities as quickly as possible- but don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about State Aid or your upcoming FY27 budget cycle!
Justice Involved Library Services: A Roundtable Discussion (Online)
Contact: Ally Dowds
Thursday, December 4 at 1PM – Registration & More Information
Connect with fellow librarians providing library services to individuals currently and formerly experiencing incarceration in state, county and youth facilities in Massachusetts. Join this conversation to exchange ideas, collaborate on projects, and build a supportive community. Whether you work directly in a carceral facility, have experience collaborating with institutions to provide outreach, or you are a librarian interested in developing an outreach partnership, this meetup group provides a forum to come together for meaningful discussion and resource sharing.
Registration is not required. This is an existing group that meets monthly on the first Thursday at 1pm.
Web Accessibility Office Hours (Online)
Contact: Jaccavrie McNeely, Kate Butler
Friday, December 5 at 11AM – More Information & Zoom Link
Wednesday, December 17 at 3PM – More Information & Zoom Link
Need help making your web content accessible? MBLC staff are here to help! Join our office hours every first Friday at 11AM or third Wednesday at 3PM. View all upcoming Web Accessibility programming under the Internet, Technology, and Access category on our calendar.
Library Advisory Office Hours (Online)
Contact: Al Hayden
Monday, December 8 at 9AM – More Information & Zoom Link
Monday, December 22 at 2PM – More Information & Zoom Link
Open to all Directors, Trustees, Library Friends, and Foundation Members. They are designed to be an open-ended, safe space for questions and interaction among participants. Sessions will NOT be recorded, and chats will NOT be saved. Registration is not required; stop by anytime during the hour!
NEW BLOG POST! Fortifying Your Library: What about YOUR library?
Contact: Al Hayden
If you’ve followed me all the way down this experimental rabbit hole, thank you! Here is what we’ve learned about what happens in libraries in an economic downturn: When a recession hits, the need for library services don’t slow down. They surge. To help demonstrate how a future economic downturn may affect your library, I have created an editable infographic template on Canva and accompanying Recession Calculator spreadsheet. To learn more about how a recession could affect your library, visit the MBLC blog.
Join MBLC’s Free Environmental Monitoring Program by November 30
Contact: Jessica Branco Colati
The MBLC is offering another round of free environmental monitoring support with Conserv from January-June 2026. Participating sites receive Conserv’s monitoring equipment, a dedicated Conserv Cloud account through June of 2026, training sessions, online learning resources, webinars on collections care, and optional virtual or in-person consultations. To join the program, complete the interest form at https://mblc.libwizard.com/f/em-cohort-d-interest by November 30, 2025. Questions can be directed to MBLC Preservation Specialist Jess Colati at jessica.colati@mass.gov.
Core Connections: Building Community Supports & Allyship at Your Library (Online)
Contact: Ally Dowds
Building Deaf-Friendly Libraries – January 14, 2026 – Registration & More Information
Join us for a new 12-month series that showcases the value of library strategic partnerships and meaningful allyship in our work environments to provide supports to vulnerable and marginalized individuals. Through a mix of informational sessions, workshops and panel discussions, library staff and stakeholders will explore collaborations and best practices that provide practical solutions and resources for trauma-informed, inclusive library environments. Explore new topics each month with statewide partners that address emerging library trends, adaptive and accessible spaces for people living with disabilities, and outreach to isolated community members who may be aging, struggling with mental health or justice impacted. January’s topic is Building Deaf-Friendly Libraries.
MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on January 8 (Hybrid)
Contact: Rachel Masse
The regular monthly board meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at the MBLC Offices.