PRESS RELEASE from the American Library Association | April 7, 2025
CHICAGO — Maria McCauley, Director of Libraries, Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been elected 2025-2026 president-elect of the American Library Association (ALA).
McCauley received 5,483 votes, while her opponent, Lindsay Cronk, Dean of Libraries, Tulane University, New Orleans, received 2,665 votes.
Upon learning the outcome of the election, McCauley said, “I am honored to be elected President of the American Library Association for 2026-27 and grateful to everyone who voted. I look forward to working with library workers and advocates across every type of library in the United States and internationally.
We can support, inspire, and learn from each other as we seek to improve the excellent library services that we provide for our communities. We will also continue to advocate for and celebrate the power of libraries to transform lives. I thank the Nominating Committee, supporters, and volunteers, as well as running mate, Lindsay Cronk, and former running mate, Dr. Andrea Jamison, for inspiring me along the way.”
McCauley, who was a Spectrum Scholar, is a current member of Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures; the Public Library Association; and the Association of College and Research Libraries. She is also a current member of the Rainbow Round Table, Sustainability Round Table, Intellectual Freedom Round Table, and the International Relations Round Table. She is also a member of the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, Chinese American Librarians Association, Black Caucus of ALA, REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking, and the American Indian Library Association, and the Freedom to Read Foundation. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Library Association and the New England Library Association.
She has held several leadership positions, including At-Large Councilor, ALA Council, Executive Board member, and Fiscal and Audit Committee. She also was PLA president (2022-23) and a PLA board member.
McCauley holds a Doctor of Philosophy, Managerial Leadership in the Information Professions, Simmons University; an MLIS from University of Pittsburgh; a BA in Theater from Ohio Wesleyan University; Leadership Certificate Program, Northeastern University; Library Leadership for New Managers Program, Association of Research Libraries (ARL).
About the American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is the only non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated entirely to America’s libraries and library professionals. For almost 150 years, ALA has provided resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. The ALA serves academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.
We interrupt your regularly scheduled, policy-centered fortification with a practical guide on determining just how much value your library contributes to your community. Welcome to ROI 101: Your library’s return on community investment. In this Fortifying Friday post, I’ll be showing you some tools that can help you calculate the value of your services to your community and the return on investment those services bring for every tax dollar that’s invested in your library. I’ll also give you some suggestions on how to frame those numbers in a way that can be meaningful to those who are making decisions about library funding.
Return on Investment
A return on investment (ROI) is generally a metric that’s used in the business world to calculate how much profit was gained from an investment. As a government service, public libraries obviously don’t turn a profit, nor are they meant to. But that doesn’t mean that libraries don’t add immense value to their communities. While some of that value will always be incalculable (who can quantify the positive feelings or nostalgia someone feels in a library?), there are some very concrete ways to quantify what a library offers its users and non-users alike. Enter the ROI.
Most public libraries in Massachusetts are funded by a combination of municipal, state and some federal tax dollars. Though some are also privately funded as independent 501(c)3 organizations, they still receive enough municipal appropriations to obtain state certification and state aid. For our purposes, we will be looking at the return on investment for the municipal tax dollars, i.e. what the city or town spends on its public library, as these are generally the largest part of a library’s budget and are the funds most likely to be applied to the most common library services. The library’s municipal officials (town management, select board, city council, etc.) are also likely to be familiar with an ROI figure as an understandable and relatable metric.
There’s a Calculator for That
How does a library start calculating its ROI? Fortunately, the Maine State Library* still posts a ROI calculator that was developed by MLA and the Chelmford Library’s Brain Herzog. So what’s left for you to do is obtain the correct statistics to plug into that tool. Those statistics they’re asking for? You already have them. Your ARIS statistics that you submit to the MBLC every August have the numbers you need. Click “calculate” and you’ll have a number.
Don’t get too excited (yet). The number you get from the calculator isn’t your ROI. That number is the dollar amount of what your services would cost the average person if they were paying for them out of pocket. The next number you need is your municipal appropriation, which you can also easily get. While you may have this number in your budget files and in your financial reporting that you submit to the MBLC in October, you can also get it in relation to the budget of the other departments in your municipality.
Have a Slice of Municipal Pie
As a self-admitted data nerd, this is quite possibly one of the most underrated library tools out there (the CensusData tool runs a close second). Allow me to introduce you to the municipal pie. This link will take you to the MA Department of Revenue’s site that lists and charts every MA municipality’s budget info and breaks it down by department. Here is where you see your total municipal budget appropriation and where your budget falls in relation to other departments in your city or town. Here’s how you get there:
Find your municipality from the drop-down.
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Screenshot of detail of website with Division of Local Services: MA Department of Revenue logo indicating the content of “Schedule A General Fund and Library Expense Prepared for the Board of Library Commissioners” with a drop-down menu asking to “Select Municipalities” and listing the name of MA municipalities with a selectable check box next to each option
Choose the fiscal year you want to see. (For ROI purposes, it’s best to use the most recent, but you can also compare to previous years for other interesting information.)
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Screenshot of detail of website with Division of Local Services: MA Department of Revenue logo indicating the content of “Schedule A General Fund and Library Expense Prepared for the Board of Library Commissioners” with a drop-down menu asking to “Select Fiscal Years” and listing years from 2024 back to 2003 with a selectable check box next to each option
Click on “Chart Library Expenditures” to see the pie chart breaking the tax dollar budget appropriations for your municipality. For demonstration purposes, this pie chart is for ALL the municipalities in MA. That tiny pie slice is the percent of the budget that all libraries have in the overall budget of Massachusetts. In other words, on average, libraries across the state are 1.1% of the Commonwealth’s budget. How does your municipality compare?**
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Screenshot of detail of website with Division of Local Services: MA Department of Revenue logo. The selectable option “Chart Library Expenditures” is highlighted.
What’s Your Number?
OK – you have your calculated value and your municipal appropriation. To calculate your return on investment, divide the value determined in the library calculator by your total municipal budget, (calculated value / municipal budget = ROI). This number will very likely be greater than 1. When you multiply this number by 100, you’ll get your ROI percentage. This is a valuable metric that will be understood by a good portion of your community regardless of their connection with the library.
Spread the news!
Your library’s percentage is very likely over 100% and is probably somewhere between 100-1000%. The most important thing you can do now is to put that in context for your community. Here’s an example:
You’ve calculated that your ROI is 430%
What this means: The value of your library’s services is 4.3 times what your municipality invests in your library
Or: For every $1 tax dollar that your municipality invests in your library they get $4.30 back in services that do not cost your community any additional money
To put it another way: You’re offered a savings account where, for every dollar you put into that account you get $4.30 back in interest. (I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t take that deal.) That is essentially what your library is offering where, in this case the interest = services.
One more point you want to stress: those services that are worth 430% MORE than the tax dollars that have been invested to your library do not cost your community any additional money. The people using your services are doing so at no additional cost to them beyond the taxes they have already paid into their community. No one is asking them to pay a fee to take advantage of a staff member’s expertise on safely and critically navigating the internet. No one is charging admission for the early literacy benefits of a story time at the library. Libraries are not charging per hour for after school programs that tutor kids and give them skills to succeed. Most of us know (as I’ve previously mentioned) that if you are considered a municipal employee (and most library workers are; even association libraries usually get their staff salaries from their municipal budget), then you have a responsibility to be good stewards of tax dollars. Your ROI is concrete data offering proof that you are stretching those tax dollars as far as they can go.
Once you have your number and its context, get this information out into your community! Do NOT wait to get this information out there. Your ROI is not an “ace in the hole” number to pull out only during budget negotiations (though it can be helpful to remind your municipality of your ROI during those negotiations). This is a number that everyone who enters the library, uses library services, or has a say in library services should be able to see. Put it on flyers; post it around the library; add it somewhere on your website; send everyone picking up a hold home with a bookmark that tells them just how much their tax dollars are offering them. Update this information every year as your new budget comes through. Most importantly, arm your advocates with this information. The more people in your community who know the value of the services you are offering to your community, the better. I’ve talked before about showing the community you’re a good steward of tax dollars. This is a great way to demonstrate what good stewards you are because you are backing that info with data. You are telling your community: we know how to stretch a dollar and get the most out of the money we’re given. You give us $1 and we will use that dollar to give our community services that are worth multiple times your investment.
*There are other library calculators out there, but the ALA links to the Main State Library one while their tool is, unfortunately, not currently available.
** A note for Association libraries: your “slice” of pie will likely be considerably below the average since your primary sources of income are structured differently than municipal libraries. That doesn’t mean you can’t still get some great data, though!
Much has happened in the two weeks in since President Trump signed Executive Order 14238. However, the primary question remains: will Massachusetts and all the other states receive the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funding that is in statute?
To that end the IMLS Board sent a letter to IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling with the Board’s determination that “the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018, as codified in Title 20 of the U.S. Code, outlines specific statutory mandates that cannot be paused, reduced, or eliminated without violating Congressional intent and federal statute.”
U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) also led a bipartisan effort to send a letter to the IMLS acting director seeking assurances that allocated federal funding for IMLS will be implemented in a manner that is consistent with bipartisan approved appropriations laws. Senator Reed was joined by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Both are tangible examples that making our voices heard is paying off. Earlier this week, the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) released a statement opposing the executive order, and sent information about a new initiative by Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) to collect stories: https://www.markey.senate.gov/trumpstories. MLA also informed us that Representatives Dina Titus (NV-01) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) are circulating a letter for other members of the House of Representatives to sign onto asking the Administration to reconsider the executive order. The deadline for members of Congress to sign onto the letter is the end of the day today, Friday, March 28.
At the MBLC we appreciate the emails we’ve received letting us know how important databases are, or the huge impact an LSTA grant had on your community, or how much your patrons rely on ComCat. These stories help us demonstrate the importance and value of these services.
The MBLC continues working with other state library agencies to assess the impact and share information. The MBLC also met with the Talking Book Libraries, Networks, MLA, Massachusetts School Library Association, Massachusetts Center for the Book, and the Massachusetts Library System. We plan to hold meetings with the broader library community when we have more answers and more concrete information to share.
In the meantime, understanding how the MBLC receives federal funds may be helpful. The MBLC was awarded $3.6 million through IMLS’ Grants to States program. The MBLC does not receive the funds in a lump sum. Instead, we submit a monthly invoice and are reimbursed. We are concerned that this may end with little or no warning. It is in this environment of uncertainty that the MBLC is working to find ways to hold steady the services that libraries and patrons need. Services depend on staff. More than half of the MBLC’s 23 staff members are at least partially funded with federal dollars. The entire State Aid to Public Libraries staff falls into this category. So, while the State Aid Program is funded with state dollars, the ability for the program to function depends on staff who are partially funded with federal dollars. Staff continue to support and advise trustees, run the direct grant program, develop trainings, partnerships, and resources to support our most vulnerable populations, work with Networks, and more. Simply put, without staff at the agency we cannot provide the services required under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 78. Our staff is the service we provide to the library community.
Thanks to the careful extensive planning by MBLC staff, statewide databases, ComCat, and the platform that makes statewide eBook sharing possible will continue uninterrupted for the remainder of the fiscal year (ending June 30, 2025). This allows some time for legislative efforts and potential legal pushbacks to play out.
That doesn’t mean we stop planning. Maintaining services is our priority and we will continue to work towards that end. Please continue to reach out with questions or concerns anytime.
Sincerely,
Maureen Amyot
Director, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Last week I mentioned possibilities to take into consideration when writing a patron rights & responsibilities policy. Much of that focused on the “responsibilities” part of that policy, but our patrons should have rights when they use the library space as well. Library users deserve to have consistent expectations when they are in the building. This means that library staff members must be accountable for the way they compose themselves and treat patrons. By and large, this isn’t an issue. I have yet to walk into a library in Massachusetts and not be greeted by stellar customer service at all levels. But people’s definition of “good” customer service can vary, so it’s important to define what treating someone equitably and well means for your library, then train your staff appropriately.
This is another place where policy can be a huge asset. It takes the guesswork out of your expectations for your staff both on the supervisory front and on the patron side. If everyone is working off of the same policy, they are working off of the same set of expectations which means consistency that engenders trust throughout your staff and community. This has the added bonus of staff being able to help and support each other more easily because they are all working off the same guidelines. Remember when I mentioned having a copy of your policy binder at every service point and a digital copy accessible to all staff? Having a copy within reach takes the guesswork out of wondering if you’re doing the right thing. Staff members don’t have to speculate whether it’s OK for a patron to be doing x behavior in the library or if their response to a situation is something that’s appropriate. They can pull out the policy binder to check, or grab the binder to help guide a colleague through a tricky situation.
Staff Responsibilities
Here are some suggestions to guide your staff in a patron behavior policy. Staff can be accountable for:
Weighing degree of disruptive conduct with onsite conditions. For example: it worth the confrontation to tell someone who is speaking loudly to quiet down when it looks like their conversation is ending anyway and the room is otherwise empty?
Being tactful, firm, and respectful when handling disruptive behaviors
Clearly communicate to a patron the reasons for the action they are taking when they are enforcing library policy
Never, under any circumstances, touching a patron as part of a disciplinary action
Whenever possible, refraining from touching a patron who may be in distress, for example: If a 911 operator asks you to move a patron or check a pulse, you have every right to say “I’m not comfortable doing that” and ask for ways to assist without making physical contact. Another example: Touching a person who may be sleeping in an attempt to wake them up. If the person is having a health emergency, touching them can make it worse. If the person isn’t in distress but is disoriented when they awake, you’re putting yourself in potential (if unintentional) harm’s way by being in such close proximity
Explaining and distributing policy upon request or when intervening with a policy violation
Conducting themselves that’s conducive to a welcoming atmosphere
Filling out an incident report every time a patron’s behavior must be corrected or intervened upon (when in doubt, fill it out!)
Seeking out supervisors and/or public safety officials (911, non-emergency police line, etc.) in any ongoing or escalating patron issues
Policy is not a performance review
While it’s important for staff expectations to be outlined in a patron behavior policy, it’s also important that the staff expectations focus on treating patrons respectfully and equitably, and what patrons can expect from staff in relation to policy enforcement. They should not go into procedures such as how to maintain the desk at a public service point or even the procedures to follow once a staff member has had a patron encounter. Keeping staff expectations for this particular policy focused on patron interactions can keep staff from feeling micromanaged or singled-out.
These patron-focused expectations also give your patrons a clear understanding of how they will reliably be treated, which can go a long way to helping a patron, who may not otherwise be comfortable in a public or government space, consider the library a place where they are welcome. Consider putting up brief, direct signs with icons explaining what’s expected of patrons in your library, particularly if the library often welcomes individuals who may encounter many different types of spaces that are rule-bound. This prevents confusion and possibly uncomfortable situations for you and other patrons if your rules differ from that of a school, group home, senior center, etc.
All people are welcome – all behaviors are not
Under no circumstances should any staff member, at any level, feel uncomfortable or unsafe in their workplace. Remember that policy is designed to keep everyone safe, but first and foremost, the safety of you and your staff should be top of mind. With staff increasingly retiring or becoming burned out and leaving the field (librarianship lost 10% of it’s workforce each year between 2020 and 2022), ensuring a safe workplace becomes even more vital to the success of your library. Part of the reason for having a strong, succinct Patron Rights & Responsibility policy is so your staff (and you) can understand and explain it to patrons when they are not following it. Your staff can feel somewhat more at ease (no situation where you have to correct behavior is every really comfortable) in knowing that they have a document they can show someone as backup proof when they say “you are violating library policy and need to stop, please.” By placing the focus on the policy and not the staff member (i.e. “I need to you to stop, please”) it directs the patron’s attention away from the staff member hopefully keeping the situation from escalating.
Even the best policies won’t stop at least some situations from escalating, but yelling, invasion of personal space or boundaries, attempts to access staff-only areas, or other inappropriate interactions are unacceptable behaviors for a library. If your staff member feels unsafe, that is not the time to give a patron their chances. If you implemented one of last week’s suggestions: “A space where everyone on library property is undisturbed, without threat of harm or the invasion of personal property or space” into your policy, that should apply to staff, too. You can also add a caveat under that particular line item (or wherever you feel it’s appropriate) that anyone exhibiting rude or inappropriate behavior including but not limited to verbal abuse, threats or displaying unwanted attention on another person will be asked to leave the library immediately. You can even add that the Director reserves the right to apply follow-up restrictions if the situation warrants it. There may be many reasons for bad behavior, but there is no excuse for tolerating it in a public space where everyone, especially those that call it their workplace should feel safe, welcome, and comfortable.
If you recall the equitable section from last week’s post, that applies here as well. If a longstanding regular who is usually very mild-mannered yells at a staff member, there may be extenuating circumstances, but in that moment, they are acting inappropriately and need to be asked to leave immediately. After the incident report is filed and the situation is discussed, you may consider those extenuating circumstances in determining if any follow-up restrictions should apply and/or if you would like to hear the patron’s side of the story, but you may choose not to. If a patron you’re unfamiliar with begins hitting your printer because it’s jammed and then yells at a staff member who comes to help fix it, same rules apply. That person may never have used the library before and only came in because their printer crashed and they were on a deadline. You can choose whether or not to invite that person back to hear that side of the story in the hopes of gaining a long-term patron that otherwise uses the library in accordance to policy every day forward. In any situation the hardline stance that you need to have is that, in that moment, that patron is violating library policy and in accordance with library policy, must leave immediately, and for the rest of the day.
Libraries aren’t just for the people; they ARE the people
By not tolerating unacceptable behavior, you are demonstrating to the patrons that follow the rules and, most importantly, your staff – who should be able to come to each shift without worrying for their safety – that you value that safety above all else. Library staff are one of the library’s most important resources; they are the ones who add value to the library: applying their professional expertise to curate collections that are meaningful to the community, using their knowledge of the community to make connections so their community can thrive, connecting with other libraries to make networks that can share resources freely (which exponentially increases the value of all of the connected libraries), creating the resources that anyone can use to improve their lives, smiling and greeting regular patrons and new users alike, and so much more. There is a human component to all libraries that are essential to their function, making them the library’s most valuable asset. Libraries cannot welcome without staff. Libraries cannot serve without staff. Staff cannot make their libraries the essential third spaces they are, if they are not treated with respectful, appropriate behavior.
This is why we write policy – not to be punitive or to tell people what they can’t do, but to allow the people who make the library a place where all community members can feel comfortable, free to express their ideas, and free to use a space that asks for nothing but basic accountability in return, to use the knowledge, skills, and abilities they bring to their jobs every day, and gives them the space to do those jobs well.
🕙 MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on April 3rd(Hybrid) Contact: Rachel Masse
The regular monthly board meetingof the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, April 3rd, 2025, at the MBLC Office, 90 Canal Street, Boston.
📢 PRESS RELEASE: Reed Leads Bipartisan Effort to Preserve Support for Public Libraries & Museums
Reading the Revolution is a collaborative, statewide reading list to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence. The Massachusetts Center of the Book and the MBLC invite you to share your suggestions for book titles, articles and online resources of untold and unsung histories in Massachusetts from the past 250 years. This is in partnership with Massachusetts250, a two-year campaign organized by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
The State Aid team is excited to introduce Baker & Taylor Connect to the Library community! B&T Connect is the data analysis and visualization counterpoint to B&T Collect. This training will walk you through the basics of creating and viewing data and charts using years of your library data (and data from all MA libraries), so you can better advocate for your libraries and communities.
🌈 Special Populations Deep Dive: Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth (Online)
Join us for a conversation and Q&A with the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth to learn more about its Annual Recommendations for state agencies (including the MBLC!), the Safe School Initiative, and opportunities for trainings and technical assistance to schools across the state. The Commission advises others in state government on effective policies, programs, and resources for LGBTQ youth and will help connect you to resources and latest news to help libraries support youth in their communities. Registration is required.
📅 Library Summit on Social Cohesion: April 11, 2025 from 10AM to 3:30PM at Devens Common Center
In collaboration with the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) and Simmons University School of Library and Information Science, we are excited to announce the Library Summit on Social Cohesion! This in-person event will provide a nourishing day for library staff to strengthen relationships within our profession and to support our important role fostering social connection in our communities. The theme of the summit is: Together We Thrive: Libraries as Catalysts for Social Cohesion.
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!
📈 Census Data for Libraries – A Deeper Dive (Online)
In this workshop you will learn how to find population and demographic data for various geographies, using data.census.gov, the Census Bureau’s premiere online data platform. Understanding community characteristics can help inform and prioritize the need for library services, funding, and programs. You will learn how to customize a search to find data tables on community population, demographics, socio-economic, and housing data. We will provide a live demonstration of data.census.gov and show you how to use maps, charts, and access various data tables that can be downloaded and shared.
Open to all interested in ensuring safe and stable storage and improving collection management for your library or organization’s preservation projects. Connect with the MBLC’s Preservation Specialist, Jess Colati and colleagues around the Commonwealth that work to advance the protection of cultural collections during monthly office hours. Sessions and chats are not recorded or saved.
Join Cate Merlin, Head of State Programs, and your fellow Library Directors, Trustees, and others seeking advice and answers as we embark upon the FY2026 budget season. Make sure your next budget, materials spending, and hours open fully meet State Aid requirements, and share ideas for budget strategies with others- registration is not required, and session and chats will not be recorded or saved.
📈 Introduction/Overview of the State Aid Program (Online)
These sessions are geared towards new and/or acting directors to provide an introduction to and overview of the State Aid to Public Libraries program, and the requirements that need to be met in order to qualify for State Aid to Public Libraries funds. This is not a workshop about how to fill out the surveys/forms- ARIS and Financial Report workshops will be held beginning in the early summer.
💙 Participate in the Empowered by Libraries Campaign!
Connect with literacy coordinators and library staff to exchange ideas, collaborate on projects, and build a supportive community. Whether you’re an experienced educator, a new ESOL coordinator, or a librarian developing services and collections, this roundtable provides a forum to come together for meaningful discussion and resource sharing. Bring your questions, challenges, and successes!
🖥️✏️Fortifying Your Library Blog Series with Al Hayden: Patron Rights & Responsibility
Having well-defined policies is more crucial than ever to ensure libraries serve their communities effectively. In the latest installment of Fortifying Your Library , MBLC Library Advisory Specialist Al Hayden takes a deep dive into the policies that protect patron rights. To read more, visit the MBLC Blog.
🕙 MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on May 1st(Hybrid) Contact: Rachel Masse
The regular monthly board meetingof the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, May 1st, 2025,at the MBLC Office, 90 Canal Street, Boston.
Reed Leads Bipartisan Effort to Preserve Support for Public Libraries & Museums
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the leading champion for public libraries in the U.S. Congress, today led the co-authors of the last reauthorization of the Museum and Library Services Act in sending a letter to the acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) seeking assurances that allocated federal funding for IMLS will be implemented in a manner that is consistent with bipartisan approved appropriations laws.
Senator Reed was joined by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in writing to IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling urging him to continue IMLS’s mission to engage with and support libraries and museums, as Congress intended when it created the agency. The letter comes in response to a March 14, 2025 executive order [whitehouse.gov] issued by President Trump that seeks to eliminate the IMLS to the greatest extent possible under the law along with several other federal agencies and services.
“As the lead authors of the Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA) of 2018 (PL 115-40), which was signed into law by President Trump, we write to remind the Administration of its obligation to faithfully execute the provisions of the law as authorized,” the Senators wrote. “The MLSA established the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and tasked the Director with the “primary responsibility for the development and implementation of policy to ensure the availability of museum, library, and information services adequate to meet the essential information, education, research, economic, cultural, and civic needs of the people of the United States.”
Senator Reed and his colleagues called attention to the fact that IMLS is the largest supporter and investor in public libraries, museums, and archives across the nation which all play critical roles in strengthening local communities.
Federal funding made available through IMLS programs help to ensure that all Americans, regardless of income or socioeconomic background, have access to free books, services, skills and career training, internet connection, and much more that is provided through the nation’s system of public libraries as well as educational and cultural enrichment provided through local museums.
The Senators continued: “Libraries and museums play a vital role in our communities. Libraries offer access for all to essential information and engagement on a wide range of topics, including skills and career training, broadband, and computing services. IMLS grants enable libraries to develop services in every community throughout the nation, including people of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, residents of rural and urban areas, Native Americans, military families, veterans, and caregivers. Museums serve not only as centers for education but also as drivers of local economic development.”
In an effort to ensure that the Trump Administration keeps true to the spirit of the law when it comes to funding IMLS and disbursing federal funding through its grant programs, the Senators said: “We expect that the Administration will implement the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025 in a manner consistent with these allocations enacted in Fiscal Year 2024. We also expect that the Administration will allow the IMLS to engage with and support both libraries and museums as Congress intended and as authorized in the MLSA.”
If your collection development policy (including requests for reconsideration) has been recently updated, the next policy you may want to consider reviewing is your policy that oversees the expectations you have of your patrons and what your patrons can expect from your staff. This policy goes by many names; your may refer to yours as a Library Use Policy, Patron Behavior Policy, Patron Rights & Responsibilities, Code of Conduct or something else that suits the culture of your library. Regardless of what it’s called, this policy should outline exactly what is and is not acceptable behavior in your library.
A note here before we get into specifics: it’s very easy to get bogged down with details in this type of policy. Especially if you’ve had a particularly bad experience that you are eager to avoid in the future, it can be tempting to put that in the policy. It can also be tempting to start catastrophizing and list every possible bad experience you are hoping to avoid in your library. If you work in libraries, you know that people will always find a way to surprise you and even the most exhaustive list will never be complete. Plus, you run the risk of a policy that is so long and involved it won’t get used regularly, if at all. That’s definitely not the goal.
How do you envision the use of your library?
A way to avoid falling down the particular rabbit hole of trying to anticipate infinite scenarios is to start by focusing on setting clear expectations about what kind of space you want your library to be for your community. Think about what you expect of every single person who walks through the door to use or staff the library. Refer to your strategic plan and mission/vision statements. Most likely you want everyone in the library to respect the people and the space. Here are some considerations you may want to include, keeping in mind any local and state laws that may affect your particular library:
An alcohol, drug, and tobacco free space
A space free of firearms and facsimiles
A clean, comfortable environment
A healthy space that follows the scientific guidelines of the CDC, local, and state public health standards
An environment that allows use of the library without judgement or discrimination
An institution that values the privacy of people and their information
A space where everyone on library property is undisturbed, without threat of harm or the invasion of personal property or space
Availability of equipment that facilitates upholding any of the standards you set for your library
Begin to fill in some details
While still keeping scenarios somewhat general, you can then begin to outline ways your vision for the library will be carried out. These are going to be the ways in which you will hold library users and staff accountable for coexisting in the space and using it responsibly. It will also be where you can explain what patrons and staff are encouraged to do and what they should refrain from doing while they are in the library. Keep in mind the list below contains suggestions. It is not an exhaustive list and what’s listed here may not work for your library or community. For more suggestions, I recommend going to MLS’s policy collection and navigating to their patron behavior or customer service sections. This list is designed to help you get started and to think about what’s possible for you.
Alcohol, drug and tobacco free can address:
Prohibiting use of any of these on library grounds which can include parking lots, outdoor spaces, etc., not just inside the building.
The term “tobacco” instead of “smoking” can allow you to cover vaping and, if necessary, use of chewing tobacco without specifying each and every possible use
No Firearms or facsimiles can address:
“Facsimiles” can include “toy” firearms or firearm models made on 3D printers without having to run down a litany of all the possible ways a firearm can be represented
Clean, comfortable, healthy space can address:
Hygienic issues such as shoes, socks, shirts, etc. remaining on at all times
Safety issues such as blocking sidewalks, walkways, stairwells, etc.
Cell phone usage and whether it’s permitted, not allowed, or permitted only in certain areas of the library
Defining spaces eligible for patron use and what spaces are staff-use only
Pets in the library, whether animals (aside from service animals) are allowed at all or under what conditions non-service animals may be allowed on the premises and who is responsible for those animals
Using outdoor equipment in the library or on library property, particularly if you have concerns about community members using your grounds as a skate park, arena for parkour or bike tricks, etc.
Properly taking care of library property and considering responsibilities for damaging that property
while using equipment or property in-building or on grounds
when borrowing property and taking it off site
Sleeping on library property
This can be a good place to reserve the right to call 911 or non-emergency police/medical services if a patron is unresponsive or the staff is otherwise concerned for someone’s health and safety
Leaving personal property unattended and who is responsible if something happens to that unattended property
Sound levels – what is acceptable and in what areas
Judgement free zone: Establish your library as a place people may use for a variety of reasons, nothing that all of those reasons are equally valid in the library’s eyes. People should feel the library is a safe space that they can use without worry. You can establish your library as a place that supports the needs of all people whether or not they are protected by law and whether or not they may be divisive in our society. You can also make a note that your library considers all activities equal and will be responded to equitably by staff.
This approach has the bonus effect of minimizing the needs for lists. You don’t need to specifically lay out that a teen playing a computer game on the public computers has as much right to be in the library using that computer as someone using that same computer for academic research. You don’t need to delineate that a person using the library as a quiet space for refuge has as much of a right to use the library that way as someone attending a library-sponsored program.
No individual’s use of the library should be considered more or less valuable than another individual’s use provided that they all follow the same behavioral guidelines.
Equipment Availability
Visibly placing trash and recycling receptacles in high-traffic and other logical spaces to encourage everyone to clean up after themselves and making it easier for them to do so
Provide headphones for those who don’t have them if your idea of a comfortable environment includes a quiet space
Offer short-term bike lock loans and position bike racks outside if your community experiences a lot of bike traffic and you want patrons to keep their bikes outside but also assured that their personal property won’t be disturbed
Equitable Responses
Library staff should respond to policy violations in the same way for the same violation. Outlining what a staff member should do when a patron is not complying with policy can minimize judgement calls that can put any staff person in an awkward situation. This does not have to encroach onto “procedure” territory; stating how many opportunities a patron has to correct their behavior before a a consequence is pursued is different from describing the steps to approach a given situation. For example, when a person is not complying with a particular aspect of a policy:
Inform a patron that they are violating policy with the option to see a copy of the policy in question and request patron to stop
A verbal warning as a next step, that if their behavior persists, they will not be allowed to continue their current activity
Request patron to leave for whatever remains of that day if initial notice and verbal warning don’t work
If the behavior is repeated on subsequent visits and to the extent that they have been asked to leave for the day X number of times, their use of the library will be suspended for a time determined by the Library Director based upon the severity of the infringement
This approach sets clear expectations and boundaries based on behavior, NOT the individual and keeps the onus off of staff to make a judgement call as to how many “chances” a person gets before they are asked to stop, leave, etc. This approach also leaves a clear chain of authority. It should not be incumbent upon paraprofessional staff (front line or otherwise) to ask a patron to leave for the day after they’ve requested a patron to stop a behavior. This is a responsibility that should be reserved for senior or administrative level staff who, ideally, will have the experience and compensation to handle these more demanding tasks. Suspending a patron from library use for any length of time beyond the remainder of a day should land squarely on administrative shoulders as the Library Director (or designee in Director’s absence) would have the appropriate municipal connections to allow any kind of patron suspension to be enforced. This can include escorting a patron who is refusing to leave off the premises (which should NOT fall onto any library staff or administrator’s shoulders), issuing an order of no trespass, or checking back in to ensure the library staff are safe.
If the library is to be a safe space for all, it needs to be a space where the people, property, facilities and equipment are treated with respect. The library is not a space to tolerate poor behavior. Once an unacceptable behavior is tolerated, it opens the door to possibly having to accept an escalation of that particular behavior and invites others to be emboldened to attempt other unacceptable behaviors. In order to keep this from happening, now is your chance to fall down that catastrophizing rabbit-hole just a little bit.
Think of your most common scenarios in which a patron’s behavior is disruptive or otherwise causes your staff to complain to you. If you follow the response steps outlined above, do you feel the patron will get fair treatment and an appropriate number of chances?
Now consider those more individualized experiences that you’d like to prevent from happening or wish you had a way to deal with when they happened (regardless of the likelihood it will happen again) and ask yourself the same question: If you follow the same response steps, do you feel the patron will get fair treatment and an appropriate number of chances?
If you answer “yes” to these questions, you and your staff should be prepared (at least policy-wise) to handle the majority of behavioral infractions and library disruptions that come your way
If you answer no at any point in the process, revise how you approach applying consequences for policy infractions until you can answer yes as you run down the list.
Next week’s post will continue the suggestions for patron rights and responsibility policies, focusing staff responsibilities and keeping library employees safe. In the meantime, one last note that any policy discussing patron behavior should contain some type of notice that library staff, at any level, shall reserve the right to call 911 or the police non-emergency line should circumstances warrant their intervention. It is up to library administration to discuss with staff, as a group and individually if staff members have additional concerns, what “warranting circumstances” should be. I’ll go into more detail next week.
On Friday, March 14, President Trump signed an executive order that targets federal funding to libraries and museums through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS is the single largest source of critical federal funding for libraries. IMLS’ entire program of service costs 87 cents per person (US population July 2024).
From the executive order: This order continues the reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary.
The non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.
MBLC staff: 13 of the MBLC’s 23 staff members are at least partially funded through IMLS (5 fully funded, 8 partially funded)
Statewide research databases
The Commonwealth Catalog (ComCat)
Summer Reading
The Statewide eBook Program (Library eBooks and AudioBooks-LEA) Funding for the eBook platform and some eBook content.
Statewide trainings for librarians to increase access for people with vision loss
Data collection and reporting
Federal funding also supports the E-Rate program
Key Points to remember:
IMLS’ Grants to States Program (which is how Massachusetts and every other state gets federal funding for libraries) is in statute, Chapter 72 of Title 20 of the U.S. Code, so we’ll be getting more information to clarify the impact of this executive order.
The MBLC has been contingency planning for several months and if federal funds are eliminated or greatly reduced, it will act to preserve the core library services it provides.
Everyone can take action to stop the targeted attacks on libraries.
Is the State Aid to Public Libraries Program affected by federal funding? State Aid Grant Awards that public libraries receive through the State Aid to Public Libraries are fully funded by the annual state budget line 7000-9501. Not federal funding. However, all staff who work in the State Aid Unit are funded in part through federal funding. Data reporting through ARIS will continue.
What do I do if I have an LSTA grant from the MBLC? If you received a federal grant (LSTA) from the MBLC in July 2024, your grant is secure and you should proceed with your intended service. For libraries that recently were awarded Explore Grants, the MBLC is proceeding with grant disbursement as planned. Should that change the MBLC will reach out to individual grant recipients.
Are the grants from Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) affected by federal funding? The MPLCP is not federally funded. Governor Maura Healey and the State Legislature included $150 million for the MPLCP in the Economic Development Bill.
Are any of the MBLC services going to be immediately affected? Right now, statewide databases, ComCat, and the other services the MBLC provides (mentioned above) will continue. Should that change, the MBLC will notify the library community immediately.
The executive order raises many questions about which programs are statutory, and which are discretionary. In the days ahead, the MBLC will work with our state and federal partners to determine a course of action and provide you with more information as it becomes available. Please reach out with questions anytime.
Sincerely, Maureen Amyot
Director, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
If you are already looking over your collection development policies based on our last blog post, here is the other, crucial side of your collection development policy: offering a space for patrons to express their concern about library materials, or a Request for Reconsideration.
You may have noticed how much the word “professional” was used in the last post. That is because, while librarians are trained professionals, they are often not recognized as such. It’s not common knowledge that to be a professional Librarian, someone needs to hold a Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS). Because we deal so frequently at the intersection of information and people, the rights upheld by the First Amendment come into play more often than many people would expect and it’s essential that the professional, non-partisan nature of librarianship should be emphasized.
What is a Request for Reconsideration?
When it is presented in good faith, a Request for Reconsideration (RfR) opens discourse between the library and its community and can create a better understanding between both parties. It’s important for the public to understand, however, that RfRs take extensive time and effort which ends up costing the library and the municipality’s taxpayer dollars – time, effort and taxpayer dollars that are taken away from doing another part of library work for your community. To allow professional librarians to continue to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and to understand the basis of a good faith request, requests for reconsideration should require the patron to fully consider their objection and put it in their own words. When putting together a standard RfR form to accompany your collection development policy, consider beginning with a basic template (you can find an example here) and then adding the following requirements to the process in order to protect the time and efforts of library staff and encourage good faith challenges:
A signature that acknowledges both receipt and understanding of the collection development policy, including the review process
A notice that challenged materials will NOT be removed, relocated, or restricted from any collection while under consideration
The length of time before a specific title (item, material, etc.) may be challenged again once a decision has been made (for example: once a determination has been made a title cannot be challenged again for 2 years, including new editions that may come out)
Notice that only an official reconsideration form will activate a reconsideration procedure. * Phone calls, rumors, voiced concerns, emails, social media comments, etc. are not sufficient to initiate a reconsideration process, though it is important for the library to keep track of these “informal” complaints. Anyone bringing a concern to the library may (and should) be given an official reconsideration form.
Notice that an official reconsideration form must be filled out in its entirety. Incomplete, anonymous, or otherwise partially completed forms will not be sufficient to activate the process
Notice that form(s) must be filled out in the challenger’s own words; copied and pasted text from other sources (websites, social media, etc.) invalidate the personal nature of the concern and may not be considered
A statement requiring that the person raising a concern be a member of the community (ex. resident, cardholder, etc.). For example: “In striving to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, challenges brought by those outside the library’s community may not be considered”
A request that the patron suggests alternative material that is of equal literary quality, can provide similar information, and convey as valuable a picture and perspective of the subject as the item they are requesting be removed
A description of the appeals process should the patron disagree with the library’s initial response to the reconsideration request
Ideally (depending upon library staffing levels), the process should consist of a review by a committee of professional staff appointed by the director
1st appeal of the committee decision should be to the Library Director
2nd (and final) appeal lies with the Library Board of Trustees who will conduct a challenge hearing and render their binding decision at the following Board meeting.
Handling challenges to library materials
Should a patron want to challenge library materials, they should be made aware of what to expect on the library’s part as well. Describing the process that a request for reconsideration will go through provides the community with transparency and accountability on behalf of the library.
The Library should strive for a review timeline that is reasonable based on staffing conditions, ** but should also be timely in relation to a filed complaint. Two weeks to 1 month for a full, formal review from the filing of the initial complaint to providing the complainant with a decision is generally reasonable. Unless a severe staff shortage prevents the process from moving forward, all efforts should be made to keep the review process moving along swiftly.
The Library should consider the item in question in its entirety, not taking passages, excerpts, clips, or descriptions out of context
The Library should review all parts of the purchasing process and review the decision to make the purchase in the context of the collection development policy
The Library should remain as objective as possible. Should the challenged item not meet the selection criteria, the library must be willing to acknowledge that the item is unsuitable for the library collection and withdraw the item.
Whenever possible, the person who made the initial selection to purchase the item should not be on the appointed committee to review an item when it is challenged.
Additional considerations you may want to make in regard to a reconsideration process:
Require this process for challenges not just to selected materials, but to displays and programming as well. Displays and programs are also library services that are thoughtfully curated by professionals and are subject to internal guidelines and policies. You can include programming and displays in your collection development policy or have a separate policy on the curation and selection of display materials and programs. All complainants should receive a copy of the relevant polic(ies) to review, so make sure you are covered with what they may be objecting to.
Keep frontline staff interactions at a minimum. Challenges are often highly charged exchanges, even when conducted civilly. This puts a stress on anyone receiving the complaint. Train frontline staff (use scripts if you can***) to acknowledge that the person is bringing a concern to them; inform the person that there is a formal procedure that all those who want to pursue a complaint must follow and; if at all possible, send that person to the Library Director (or official designee in the Director’s absence). Frontline staff’s efforts are best directed toward their regular duties, responding to the needs of patrons with more routine requests
Expressing the responsibilities of both the complainant and the library ensures that a good faith challenge receives full consideration; reduces the appearance of arbitrariness (both in responding to a challenge and selecting materials); and clarifies the duties of the library staff when this situation arrives at your library’s doorstep.
* The library should strongly consider funneling all informal RfRs through the library’s administrative team. This will both limit the amount of time desk staff spend listening to complaints that, ultimately, they won’t have the power to address; and allows the official RfR form to be given to the person with a concern by someone with the knowledge to fully answer questions about the collection development policy and authority to respond to the patron’s request.
** Staffing shortages are all too common in library services, particularly with professionals leaving library service. If you find at the beginning of the process that you are unable to follow the timeline set out in your policies, it is crucial that you are upfront about this, communicate it in an objective manner to the patron making a complaint and provide the patron with an updated timeline based on your current staffing situation.
*** More information on scripts will be coming in a future blog post!
Is the State Aid to Public Libraries Program affected by federal funding?
State Aid Grant Awards that public libraries receive through the State Aid to Public Libraries are fully funded by the annual state budget line 7000-9501. Not federal funding. However, all staff who work in the State Aid Unit are funded in part through federal funding. —Cate Merlin, Head of State Programs
🆕 NEW BLOG SERIES! Fortifying Your Library with Al Hayden
The regular monthly board meetingof the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams. This is a hybrid meeting.
😎Apply for a Summer Library Visit with Blades by March 24
Blades library visits are 1 hour with all event materials provided by the MBLC and Bruins. A typical visit includes a hockey themed story (read by librarian or local VIP), hockey trivia, activity stations (coloring, beading, button making), photos with Blades, and outdoor games (such as Jenga and Connect 4).
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) recently awarded $1 million in grants to Automated Networks for purchase of eContent for the Library eBook and Audiobook program (LEA). LEA gives Massachusetts residents access to eBooks, audiobooks, and more from 389 participating libraries. For more information on increased eBook funding, visit the MBLC website.
Libraries certified in the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ (MBLC) State Aid to Public Libraries Program receive local aid funding to directly support public library services. For FY2025, 347 municipalities and their libraries are certified in the program and will share $20 million. For more on FY2025 State Aid, visit the MBLC website.
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce 18 libraries will receive a combined $93,000 as the FY2025 recipients of Explore Grants. The MBLC uses federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding to provide Explore Grants that improve library services, collections, and programs. For more on how federal funding makes a local impact with the Explore Grants, visit the MBLC website.
📜 Community Voices: Curating Oral Histories and Audiovisual Collections (Recording now available online)
Whether your recordings are audio, video, “on tape,” or born digital, curating oral histories and other media introduces new and different questions around collecting, management, preservation, and use. What equipment do you need to capture or digitize? How do you calculate storage? Should you work with a vendor? Do you need permission to make people’s stories and historical recordings available in your library and online? View the recording online, and/or contact Preservation Specialist Jess Colatiwith any questions or to schedule a 1-on-1 appointment.
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!
Open to all interested in ensuring safe and stable storage and improving collection management for your library or organization’s preservation projects. Connect with the MBLC’s Preservation Specialist, Jess Colati and colleagues around the Commonwealth that work to advance the protection of cultural collections during monthly office hours. Sessions and chats are not recorded or saved.
Join Cate Merlin, Head of State Programs, and your fellow Library Directors, Trustees, and others seeking advice and answers as we embark upon the FY2026 budget season. Make sure your next budget, materials spending, and hours open fully meet State Aid requirements, and share ideas for budget strategies with others- registration is not required, and session and chats will not be recorded or saved.
📈 Census Bureau Data 101: Resources and Services (Online)
In this workshop you will learn about U.S. Census Bureau’s surveys and data resources available to help you understand, access, and use Census Bureau data, which can be helpful to libraries for community research and outreach, program planning, and resource allocation. We will take a tour of the Census Bureau’s website and highlight areas that may be most useful to library staff and patrons and provide a demonstration on how to quickly pull up your community’s data profile.
👭 Building Friendships Between People with and without Disabilities: A Train-the-Trainer Workshop (Online)
The ARC of Massachusetts will facilitate a 2-hour train-the-trainer workshop model to equip library staff with the skills and strategies needed to foster friendships between people with and without disabilities. This interactive presentation will provide practical tools to help integrate inclusive practices into your organization. Registration is required.
The State Aid team is excited to introduce Baker & Taylor Connect to the Library community! B&T Connect is the data analysis and visualization counterpoint to B&T Collect. This training will walk you through the basics of creating and viewing data and charts using years of your library data (and data from all MA libraries), so you can better advocate for your libraries and communities.
🌍 Breaking Bad Conversations about Climate Change with John E. Fernandez(Online)
Please join us to learn how to better communicate about challenges facing our climate with Professor John E. Fernandez, a practicing architect, a full professor in the Department of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Director of MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative. Professor Fernandez will leverage his experience engaging across diverse sectors of American society – the public sector, private sector, communities, and civil society generally – to offer ways in which to engage in non-confrontational, nonpartisan, and, most importantly, positive conversations about climate change. The aim of the talk will be to discuss cases in which conversations are likely to be derailed by current misunderstandings and explicitly confusing information and offer pathways toward, if not agreement, then purposeful enhancement of understanding and empathy. Professor Fernandez will also offer several information and communication assets developed over the past few years by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative.
This webinar was planned by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Massachusetts Library System, and the Vermont Department of Libraries.
🌈Special Populations Deep Dive: Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth (Online)
Join us for a conversation and Q&A with the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth to learn more about its Annual Recommendations for state agencies (including the MBLC!), the Safe School Initiative, and opportunities for trainings and technical assistance to schools across the state. The Commission advises others in state government on effective policies, programs, and resources for LGBTQ youth and will help connect you to resources and latest news to help libraries support youth in their communities.
It’s not too late to join the Boston Bruins, DCF/Wonderfund and Cradles to Crayons to collect pajamas for kids in need until March 15. Together, we hope to collect 10,000 pairs of new PJs!
In collaboration with the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) and Simmons University School of Library and Information Science, we are excited to announce the Library Summit on Social Cohesion! This in-person event will provide a nourishing day for library staff to strengthen relationships within our profession and to support our important role fostering social connection in our communities. The theme of the summit is: Together We Thrive: Libraries as Catalysts for Social Cohesion. Registration is required.
