Policy: Meeting Room Use

If your library offers space that outside groups are permitted to use (either for free or as a rental), it’s extremely important that you have a solid, actionable meeting room policy and regularly communicate the requirements of that policy, even with the regular users. Though you are under no obligation to do so, welcoming the public to use a space within the library can be a valuable community asset, providing an opportunity that may otherwise be inaccessible to bring people together for a common goal.  

The safety of your staff, yourself, your community and your spaces depends upon a policy that sets clear expectations and guidelines that fit within the constraints of the library’s regular responsibilities. There are a few additional benefits to having a solid, actionable meeting room policy that is regularly reviewed including:  

  • Guidance for those unfamiliar with your policy to understand whether or not your meeting space is a good fit for their purposes, or if you will be able to accommodate them at all (ex. expected group size may exceed room capacity) 
  • Familiarity with your own policy minimizes the amount of time spent reviewing the policy if someone contacts you with questions 
  • Policy that explains your requirements clearly will save time for you and those wanting to use the room 

When you start to review this particular policy, there are a few items that are somewhat idiosyncratic to this particular type of policy.  

Before I begin, a quick disclaimer: many of the recommendations for meeting rooms have been determined through court cases. This information is publicly available should you wish to dig deeper. You can find some starter information here. However, I am not a lawyer. I have no intention of interpreting these cases for you nor should the information I’m passing along be considered legal advice. As I’ve mentioned before, any policy that you consider ratifying through your Board of Trustees should be reviewed by an attorney (counsel for your municipality is usually a good place to start) to ensure that you are compliant with the most current decisions and are protecting yourself and your library.  

Limited Public Forum

If your library opens your meeting room to outside groups, it will likely be considered a limited public forum. This means anyone using your room must abide by open meeting laws. If a group is using the room, anyone walking by has the right to sit in on their meetings, which should be open-door at all times. Staff have the right to sit in and ensure policies are being followed. This should be clearly spelled out so that the group understands the possibility, however unlikely, that someone will wander in, sit down and listen in.  

Equitable Use

Article VI of the Library Bill of Rights states, “Libraries which make… meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.” Provided they agree to all of the terms and conditions in your meeting room policy, a group that may be personally disagreeable to you or your staff likely has the right to use the room. For example, they may have said that meetings of a political nature were not permitted in the library’s meeting room, regardless of the alignment of the politics being discussed. This seems neutral on its surface (the library isn’t allowing ANY type of politics in its meeting room, not just politics with views that may be disagreeable or controversial), but the courts have found that the argument doesn’t really hold in practice.  

If you are going to limit use of your library’s meeting room, it must be done based on “reasonable content-neutral time, place or manner restrictions” (Pfeifer v. City of West Allis, 91 F. Supp. 2d 1253 [E.D. Wis. 2000]). If you’ve been to one of the webinars that the MBLC, MMA or several other organizations have hosted on this and similar subjects, you’ll have heard this phrase. While this limits the library’s  in it’s ability to limit users of your public meeting room space, that does not mean that you need to endorse the use.  

Endorsement Not Required

If an outside group books a meeting room for any purpose that is permitted by your library policy, that does NOT mean that it is a library program. You are within your rights to have your policy clearly state that use of your meeting room facilities does not imply endorsement by the library. The ALA has the suggested wording: “Libraries do not advocate for or endorse the viewpoints expressed in meetings by meeting room users, just as they do not endorse the viewpoints of works in their collections,” but you can decide the most effective way to express this. You may also want to consider making it clear to anyone wishing to use your meeting room facilities that the library may NOT be listed as anything but a location for that particular meeting. Library staff should NOT be collecting registrations or answering questions for any outside group. You are under no obligation to post an outside program on your public calendar. If your calendar program has a private staff view, you can keep your staff informed to make the appropriate arrangements in the room being used, and you can state very clearly on the event post that this is not a library-affiliated program and the library does not endorse the program in any way. If that’s the case, remember that this disclaimer must be used for every program regardless of whether or not it’s a program that the library may consider booking as a library program at a later time. Be upfront with those viewing your calendar and follow through on your policy which has made promises to the meeting room user for every booking.  

Usage

You are well within your rights to :

  • reserve meeting space for library use first 
  • reschedule, cancel, or change a meeting if you need to use that room for a library program or special event. From a public service standpoint, a library should do its best to accommodate a new option for someone booking the room for a conflicting date, but that doesn’t mean that once a group has booked a room, you are prevented from having your own library event or offering services in that room if it’s necessary for essential library functions. 
  • define how much any one organization or individual may use a room in a 12-month period, and how far in advanced a room may be reserved 

This ensures that the room is available for use to your entire community without any groups monopolizing its use. You can look at the meeting room policies in your area and/or libraries that are similar to you in size, staffing, and meeting room usage. I’ve seen several policies that restrict to 1x/month, no more than 12 uses per calendar year, and no bookings more than 3 months in advance. Ultimately, you know how much your community requests the use of your meeting rooms so it will be up to you what limits are reasonable and will not create an undue burden on your facilities and staff. 

You are under no obligation to offer use beyond the space itself. For example, if your meeting room has AV equipment or other technology, art installation options, unusual furnishings (beyond what someone might reasonably expect in terms of a table and chairs), you can make it clear in your policy that these amenities are for library use only and outside users are permitted to use the space, not the equipment. 

If you decide to offer the use of certain equipment in the meeting space, make sure you’ve fully considered and outlined in your policy what is and is not available. If tech is available, will you require them to use their own cables, or replace any cables, dongles, or attachments that may be unaccounted for after the meeting? Will you request that your custodians or other library staff set up the room to the group’s specifications, or will you require that, if the group needs to arrange the furniture to suit their needs, that they also return the room to its original configuration? As always, you know your patrons and your community best and you can determine the best ways to accommodate them without placing an undue burden on your staff or your facilities.  

You are well within your rights to consider these questions, balancing the needs of the community and the needs of the library. Don’t forget that the needs of the community include the members who do not need or choose not to use your meeting room and how they may be affected and, most importantly don’t forget to factor in the needs of your staff. Once you’ve decided, make sure you outline those determinations in your policy so that everyone has clear expectations and knows exactly what will happen when the meeting room is booked for outside use.  

Just like there is more than 1 facet to patron rights and responsibilities and collection development policies, meeting room policies are similar in this regard. Next week, I’ll go in the to agreement and accountability side of meeting room policies. I hope you’ll join me! 

MBLC Service Update – April 30, 2025

🕙 MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on May 1st (Remote)

Contact: Rachel Masse

The regular monthly board meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, May 1st, 2025.  This meeting is fully remote.


📰 House Ways and Means Level Funds Libraries

Contact: Celeste Bruno

On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, the Massachusetts House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee released their proposal for the FY2026 budget. Except for slight differences in the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ (MBLC) agency line (7000-9101) and Technology and Resource Sharing (7000-9506), the House proposal funds all MBLC budget lines at FY2025 levels which aligns with the Governor’s budget released in January. The full budget chart is available on the MBLC website. To read more about FY2026 level funding for libraries in Massachusetts, visit the MBLC website.


📰 Melrose Celebrates its New Library

Contact: Celeste Bruno

On April 15, 2025, Melrose residents were joined by state and local officials to celebrate the grand opening of the new Melrose Public Library. “The construction of any library, no matter the size, affirms the principles and freedoms we stand on,” said Commissioner Jessica Vilas Novas from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The project was partially funded with a $8 million grant through the MBLC’s Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). To read more about Melrose’s new library, visit the MBLC website.


📰 Federal Uncertainty Causes Cuts 

Contact: Celeste Bruno

In the wake of President Trump’s Executive Order 14238 that targeted the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the notice that the entire IMLS staff was put on administrative leave on March 31, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) announced cuts to library services and grants at its monthly board meeting. To read more about cuts due to federal funding uncertainty, visit the MBLC website.


🏛️ Sharon Public Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 

Monday, May 19 at 2P – More Information

A grand opening celebration will be held a tthe new Sharon Public Library at 1 School Street at 2PM on Monday, May 19. The event will include a ribbon cutting ceremony, a tour of the new library, mural unveiling in vesituble and the mural artist will speak in the new Community Room. Parking will be available at the library and at the High Street lot.  To learn more about the Sharon Public Library project, visit the Town of Sharon’s website


🗣️ ESOL Roundtable Discussion (Online) 

Contact: Ally Dowds

Wednesday, April 30 at 1PM – Registration & Zoom Link

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! 


🗨️ Preservation Office Hours Pop Up (Online)

Contact: Jess Colati

Friday, May 2 at 10AM – More Information & Zoom Link

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. 


🧊 Libraries as Cooling Centers: Every Library Can Be One! Presented by the Northeast Summit for Climate Adaptation for Library Facilities (Online) 

Contact: Andrea Bono-Bunker

Tuesday, May 6 at 1PM – Registration & More Information

The Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation for Library Facilities is pleased to announce this last webinar for the 2024-2025 season. The session will begin with a brief overview of what the term cooling center means. You may be surprised to find that your library is one, even if you weren’t using that term! There will also be a keynote speaker, Jared Ulmer, from the Vermont Department of Health and a panel discussion.  This event is part of the Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation for Library Facilities, a collaboration of the State Libraries from Maine to Maryland. This webinar was planned by the Rhode Island Office of Library & Information Services and the Vermont Department of Libraries. 


🗨️ Preservation Office Hours (Online) 

Contact: Jess Colati

Tuesday, May 6 at 10AM – More Information & Zoom Link

Tuesday, May 20 at 10AM – More Information & Zoom Link

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. 


📅 Rapid Response Federal Layoff Information Sessions, Presented by the MassHire Rapid Response Team (Online) 

Contact: Ally Dowds

Tuesdays, May 6, 13, 20 & 27 at 12PM – Registration & More Information

MassHire is hosting a series of Federal Layoff Information Sessions to provide statewide, early intervention re-employment services to employees affected by layoffs and closings. Topics covered will include unemployment insurance eligibility, MassHire Career Center services and more.   View or download the flyer to share information about these sessions and to register to attend.  The MBLC will partner with MassHire in the near future to bring these sessions in person across the state. More information to come! 


️➡️ Get to Know Your Government: The Massachusetts Office on Disability (Online) 

Contact: Ally Dowds

Wednesday, May 7 at 2PM – Registration & Zoom Link

Join us for a conversation and Q&A with the Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) to learn more about this state agency, the guidance and support it provides to disability-related civil rights and architectural access, and a space to share feedback on how MOD can better serve both library staff and patrons. Registration is required.


🤝 So You Want to Be a Library Trustee? (Online) 

Contact: Al Hayden

Wednesday, May 7 at 7PM – More Information & Zoom Link

Do you want to do more to advocate on behalf of your local public library? Are you considering running to be a Library Trustee? Join us to learn more about what your library does for your community, the role of a Library Trustee, what responsibilities you’ll encounter should you become a successful candidate.  This program is a basic primer designed for people who are considering becoming a Library Trustee in their community, though new Trustees may find valuable information and are welcome to attend as well. 


🖥️ State Aid Waiver Overview (Online)  

Contact: Cate Merlin

Thursday, May 8 at 2PM – More Information & Zoom Link

As the FY26 budget cycle continues, learn about the process (and paperwork) required to apply for a waiver of the MAR, so you and your municipalities can be prepared. 



🤝 Library Advisory Office Hours
(Online) 

Contact: Al Hayden

Monday, May 12 at 9AM – More Information & Zoom Link

Monday, May 26 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!  


📈 Census Data for Libraries – Data on a Deadline (Online)

Contact: Al Hayden

Tuesday, May 13 at 2PM – More Information & Zoom Link

In this session we will explore census.gov and learn where to find and how to use a variety of data access tools that can quickly provide a snapshot of your community or state. Through short live demos you will gain insights about tools and resources such as QuickFacts, data.census.gov, Narrative Profiles, OnTheMap, Interactive Maps and more.  Attendance at the previous two sessions is not required to join this session. All registrants will receive a Zoom link for the webinar the day before the event. 


🖥️ B& T Connect Training (Online) 

Contact: Cate Merlin

Tuesday, May 13 at 2PM – More Information & Zoom Link

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.   


💬 State Aid Office Hours (Online)  

Contact: Cate Merlin

Wednesday, May 14 at 9AM – More Information & Zoom Link 

Wednesday, May 28 at 2PM – More Information & Zoom Link 

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.    


📞️ Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline 

Contact: Ally Dowds

MBLC has partnered with the Department of Mental Health to help libraries serve their communities with the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline, a statewide service that connects individuals directly to clinical help, when and where it is needed. 

  • Free, confidential, and no health insurance is required. 
  • Real-time interpretation in 200+ languages. 
  • Deaf or hard of hearing? Contact MassRelay at 711 or use your video relay or caption provider of choice. 

📆 Save the Date! *June 18* Introduction to the Statewide Patron Portal (Online) 

Contact: Jaccavrie McNeely

Wednesday, June 18 at 11A – More Information & Registration

Wednesday, June 18 at 2P – More Information & Registration

Join us on June 18th for an introduction to the Statewide Patron Portal at libraries.state.ma.us!  This walkthrough and information session will introduce our revamped site, including the Library of Things search and the statewide events calendar.  We’ll also discuss tagging events and updating your library’s information.  Register for the 11 am morning session or the 2 pm afternoon session



📜 MA250: Reading the Revolution–*LAST CALL* for your suggestions!
 

Contact: Courtney Andree (MCB), June Thammasnong

📋 MA250 Reading the Revolution Suggestions Form

🧰MA250 Reading the Revolution Toolkit

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. 

Please send us your ideas and suggestions for “revolutionary” books, journal articles and online resources that you’d like us to consider!


🕙 MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on June 5th (Hybrid) 

Contact: Rachel Masse

The regular monthly board meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, June 5th, 2025, at the MBLC Office, 90 Canal Street, Boston.

Collection Development Policies 

Welcome back to our blog series helping libraries strengthen and protect themselves. The last post talked about policy in general. This and the next several posts will be offering recommendations for specific policies that, if you haven’t updated them within the last 2 years, you should be prioritizing their review. 

What makes a strong collection development policy?

The first policy that any library should make sure is strong, recent, and clear is their collection development policy. This policy explains to any interested member of the public the reasoning behind why your library chooses the items that go into your collection. It provides the guideposts by which library staff makes their decisions about what goes into a library collection. It is critical in helping the public understand that books don’t appear on the shelves by magic; they are not chosen blindly or at random and the amount of work and professional input that goes into managing a library’s collection is substantial. A strong collection development policy focuses on key distinctions that make libraries and librarians uniquely qualified to make materials choices:  

  • Professional training – make sure your policy clarifies that those making your collection development decisions are trained professionals. A Librarian with an MLIS will have had collection development training as part of their professional degree. If you have paraprofessionals making collection decisions, make sure they have received training so they understand the basic principles of collection development and understand prioritizing the needs of the community over personal preferences.  
A computer monitor displays library course content on a desk in a stock image, promoting collection development. The monitor shows "Basic Library Techniques: Collection Development and Management Part 1."

The Massachusetts Library System has just deployed a Collection Management course as part of their Basic Library Techniques learning modules. It provides solid understanding of what goes into collection development and management. Should this not fit your needs, there are several additional online options to make sure your staff are up to date on their skills. Feel free to reach out for some additional suggestions.

  • Professional review sources – Booklist, Library Journal, School Library Journal, are all professionally vetted review sources that librarians have relied upon and trusted for years. Collection decisions based on reviews by these professional journals (and select others, including but not limited to Horn Book, Publisher’s Weekly, etc.) are the primary means by which to make informed decision. Specify that you do NOT make collection decisions based on resources that are not widely professionally accepted.
     For example: Common Sense Media is not a collection development tool, though it and other similar resources may be helpful readers' advisory tools to help patrons find material that are relevant to them. This recognizes that, while librarians do not have the time to personally read every book that goes in the collection, they are making those choices in good faith based on industry and professional standards. 
  • Weeding as part of professional collection duties – Weeding is a natural part of the collection cycle, but unexpected, large weeding projects can erode public trust. Community members are not library professionals and often don’t understand that weeding is not only a normal part of library operations, but an essential one to keep collections relevant, updated and circulating. Be clear about your criteria for weeding and emphasize that it is part of your staff’s expertise as collection managers and well within the scope of professional duties to determine whether or not a book warrants a place in the library’s collection. Having a part of your collection development policy dedicated to CREW/MUSTIE guidelines reminds your staff and your patrons that weeding is not an arbitrary process. Give an approximate timeline of how often or under what circumstances your staff will evaluate what’s in their collections.  
  • Professional determinations of sections – It is generally worthwhile to include the sections you have in your library (adult, children, teen, media, library of things, audiobooks, large print, etc.). It will also be worthwhile to note in writing that the sections are not limited to any particular age group and are arranged to help make library materials as easy to find as possible. The responsibility of material relevance lies with the individual, or with a caregiver for their own child(ren). The section in which an item resides is not designed to determine the audience for that item. If your library makes use of stickers to highlight genres or for other wayfinding purposes, you may want to mention this as well, noting that the sticker is a tool to help match relevant material with its reader and is not a restrictive guideline.  
  • Professional determinations of relevance – The professional review sources like those mentioned above give approximate age ranges that the materials are intended for. It is up to the professional librarians to determine relevance from there; relevance for the collection, relevance for the community and relevance for individuals who may be interested in the topic. Your collection development policy is a great opportunity to remind people of your training which makes these types of relevance determinations as a matter of course. You would likely not give Erik Larson’s Dead Wake to a 3rd grader doing a poster presentation on the Lusitania. You may, however, give an adult a fiction book whose audience is primarily teens because the book has all of the tropes, action, and/or themes that reader enjoys. You may also give a teen a picture book for a project because it has images that are captivating, rare, or may describe concepts in a way that can help describe a topic to other people, regardless of the teen’s mastery of the topic. The possibilities are endless, so I don’t recommend trying to get specific in your policy. It may be worth your while, however, to describe how books end up in certain sections to help patrons find materials and note that those sections may be browsed by anyone who finds the topic relevant.  
  • Inclusivity as a professional standard – Most collection development policies state that they strive to be representative of all people in their community. The broadness of this statement can feel all-encompassing or inclusive, but in reality, is vague enough to be difficult to define. Consider defining the communities, identities and groups you want to ensure are represented in your library. * This list does not have to be exhaustive; “including but not limited to” can be a powerful phrase. Specifically naming communities you know are marginalized or underrepresented demonstrates your commitment to ensuring representation in your collections and makes purposefully excluding those named communities against library policy. Highlighting and strengthening your commitment to vulnerable communities has an additional benefit of being solid ground for display themes. When you outline these specifics, know that you will be backed up by State Law Chapter 78, Section 33 which states that public library staff develop collections that reflect the breadth of human experience, which is both diverse and interconnected. There are several Massachusetts organizations which agree upon this principle

Community Input

Your library’s collection should reflect perspectives that you find in your community, perspectives that may broaden your community’s horizons, and be able to anticipate their needs. Consider having a method for community members to communicate to you items they would like to see in your collection outlined in your policy. It is an opportunity to find out what your community may be interested in. You are under no obligation to put every item that someone from the community suggests into the collection. Suggestions must still follow your collection development policy. Outlining those expectations directly in your policy allows your community members to voice their opinions while simultaneously setting boundaries that trained library professionals are the ones who make the final decisions on what the library puts on its shelves.  

Some additional questions to consider when thinking about community input include:  

  • What qualifies as a community member – A resident? A library card holder? Will you have a community member identify themselves as such?  
  • How will you address local authors in your policy?  
  • How will you address unsolicited donations, particularly those where patrons may expect to see those donations on-shelf?  
  • What timeline will you give for a response (if any) to any community collection request?  

* A last note about collection development policies is that they should always have some type of request for reconsideration as part of its policy. This is a hugely important step in protecting intellectual freedom for all, and as such, deserves its own blog post. I’ll break down some considerations to keep the process of a challenge as straightforward as possible in the next installment. 

 

The MBLC Celebrates Digital Inclusion Week

This year marks the sixth annual Digital Inclusion Week, a national event taking place this year from October 3-7 that highlights digital equity work happening throughout the country.

Digital inclusion efforts address three main areas: affordable internet, access to appropriate devices, and digital skills training – basic necessities that millions of Americans are living without.

In Massachusetts, the MBLC and libraries are working to close the digital divide. This has become especially important since the COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the lack of reliable internet connections throughout the Commonwealth.

The MBLC responded by creating the outdoor WiFi map which shows which libraries in the state have connections that can be used both during and after hours outside of the building. Libraries, including the Somerville Public Library, created spaces for internet users to sit comfortably to use the WiFi access when the building is closed. Outdoor WiFi has been especially popular in the western part of the state where broadband is not as readily available. The MBLC sponsored an introductory Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)  webinar by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to highlight how libraries can help underserved residents obtain low cost or even free internet access and a discounted tablet, Chromebook or laptop for the household.  Applying for ACP is hard; libraries will play a critical role in raising awareness, referring unconnected users to community helpers, or “navigators”, or even stepping up to directly as ACP navigators themselves.

The MBLC used federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to lend out WiFi hotspots through public libraries and other local organizations  . Nearly 3000 hotspots were distributed to 220 public libraries for loan to library users.

Libraries across the Commonwealth, sometimes partnering with other community-based organizations, provide devices and offer digital literacy throughout the year.  For instance, the Westhampton Public Library partners with the Council on Aging to provide twice-monthly trainings. The MBLC statewide calendar of virtual events shows similar training opportunities across the state.

The MBLC is joined by organizations across Massachusetts, including the ,  and the country in celebrating Digital Inclusion Week which is organized by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance ( ).

“As we see federal law turn into actual funding for digital inclusion, it’s our time to start ‘Turning Our Moment into Movement,’ which is our theme for Digital Inclusion Week 2022,” said Angela Siefer, executive director of NDIA. “We invite advocates, policymakers, community leaders, educators, researchers, and others to come together this week – and all year long – to advance digital equity nationwide.”

The observance of Digital Inclusion Week seeks to increase public knowledge of the importance of digital equity and encourage digital inclusion efforts across our city to improve broadband access, foster adoption, and promote digital literacy.

#MaDigitalEquity

Baseball Season Starts Now with your Library

Major League Baseball was set to open its season today, but it has been delayed as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Even though the players won’t be taking the field, you can still get your baseball fix today through your Massachusetts library! 

The Digital Commonwealth has an extensive collection of historic baseball photos taken by legendary Boston photographer Leslie Jones.  Jones took photographs of the Red Sox and the Boston Braves throughout the mid twentieth-century, and captured many visiting players as well including Jackie Robinson. There is also baseball artwork, photos of the UMass Amherst baseball team, and other historic photos of the game being played in and around New England.Baseball is not only a game, it is the inspiration for numerous books, available at your fingertips through the Massachusetts eBook program LEA. New  titles include Evie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes, a love story about “a woman who has lost her husband and a major league pitcher who’s lost his game,” The Resisters by Gish Jen, a story about a dystopian future where society is divided and baseball allows one young girl to cross that divide, and The Cactus League by Emily Nemens which “unravels the tightly connected web of people behind a seemingly linear game.” Classic baseball books available through LEA include Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Natural by Bernard Malamud, and Ball Four by Jim Bouton. Get started with LEA today by borrowing a book about baseball.

Filmmaker Ken Burns has allowed PBS to stream his renowned nine part documentary “Baseball” for free on its website. The documentary starts at the very origins of the game in the nineteenth-century and follows it up to the present day highlighting the unique aspects of the game and the personalities that have made it the nation’s pastime. The documentary is streaming for a limited time on the PBS website.Even though the umps won’t be yelling “play ball!” today, we can at least indulge in some photographs, books, and movies to hold us over until the baseball season officially begins.