It has been a quieter-than-usual week on the federal front but I did want to share one important item. Yesterday, I received an email from the Regional Director for Senator Elizabeth Warren that said, in part:
“Wanted to share this letter Senator Warren and Senator Markey sent last night to the Institute of Museum and Library Services Acting Director Keith E. Sonderling demanding answers on funding cuts to museums and libraries across the country. You can also read a full article with more context from this WBUR article … We appreciate the work MBLC and others like it do to make Massachusetts the special place that it is and will continue to support you and fight for you as best we can.”
The letter that the Senators sent is attached to this email [see or download letter above]. It is encouraging to know that our Massachusetts Senators are such strong and vocal supporters of libraries. They gave June 24 as the deadline for Mr. Sonderling’s response. If he replies, I will share the information in a future update. Thank you for all you are doing to keep our state and federal legislators informed. It really makes a difference.
The regular monthly board meetingof the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, June 5th, 2025. This meeting is fully remote.
📰 MBLC Maintains some Databases, Support for eBooks, and ComCat
At the annual Massachusetts Library Association conference, MBLC Director Maureen Amyot addressed the impact of ongoing federal uncertainty caused by the executive order and spoke about the MBLC’s efforts to preserve as many federally funded statewide services as possible. Director Amyot announced the FY2026 plan for statewide research databases, the statewide eBook program, and the Commonwealth Catalog.To read more about FY2026 databases, visit the MBLC website.
📰 Libraries Level Funded in Proposed Senate Budget
State Aid ARIS & Financial Report season are upon us! The FY26 ARIS survey will open on July 1st and close on Friday, August 15th, and the FY26 Financial Report will open on August 4th and close on Friday, October 3rd. We are offering six ARIS trainings this month and into early July, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to the State Aid team if you have any questions or concerns. More information and dates can be found at at the MBLC website.
ℹ️ Database Library Community Information (Online)
On Tuesday, May 20, the “State of the State” presented by MBLC Director Maureen Amyot at the Massachusetts Library Association conference included announcement about statewide services that have been impacted by the uncertainty caused by Executive Order 14238. These services include statewide databases, the Commonwealth Catalog, and the statewide Library eBooks and Audiobooks (LEA) program powered by Libby. For those unable to attend MLA, please register for an information session.
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.
📅 Unlocking MassHealth: What You Need to Know to Help Your Patrons (Online)
Join Community Engagement and Education staff for an informative webinar designed to help Massachusetts residents, caregivers, and service providers better understand MassHealth—the state’s Medicaid and CHIP program. Whether you’re applying for the first time, assisting someone else, or just want to stay informed about recent updates, this session will give you the tools and resources you need to increase understanding and access for your library community. This session will be recorded and registration is required.
Libraries need active and engaged trustees now more than ever. If you are a new trustee hoping to learn more about your role or a more seasoned trustee looking for a deeper understanding of the basics, you are invited to the MBLC’s Library Trustee Orientation. This is a 4-session course where you will learn more about your role and responsibilities as a Library Trustee. Registration is required.
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!
Please join us on Friday, June 13th from 2-3:30pm for the interactive webinar “A Library is Not a Computer: Librarianing for Social Flourishing,” led by Dr. Margo Gustina. In this 90-minute interactive webinar, Dr. Gustina will introduce how librarians build neighborhood pathways toward wellbeing based in years of continuous community-based research. This event is co-sponsored by Simmons University School of Library and Information Science, the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC).
📈 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. Registration is required.
💻 Introduction to the Statewide Patron Portal (Online)
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 11am morning session or the 2pm afternoon session.
‘Tis the season for ARIS (Annual Report Information & Statistics) trainings! Review the Annual Survey and learn about the new questions that will appear. Workshop information (meeting ID, etc.) will be emailed to registered participants as the date of the session approaches. Registration is required.
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.
📅 Supporting Library Patrons with Re-Employment Needs—An Overview by MassHire (Online)
Join this informative session designed to equip library staff with tools, resources, and knowledge to support patrons navigating unemployment, layoffs, and re-employment opportunities. There are over 25 MassHire Career Centers across that state and a Rapid Response Team that provides early intervention re-employment services to employees affected by layoffs and closings.
Join us for the first webinar in a new series discussing digital accessibility topics and building tech skills to support your website’s accessibility. We’ll discuss the Department of Justice ADA Title II ruling and how it affects libraries as well as some accessibility basics to get you started.
Have specific questions? Accessibility office hours will be starting this summer, schedule TBA!
🕙 MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on July 10th (Hybrid)
The regular monthly board meetingof the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, July 10th, 2025. Location: TBD.
Thank you for submitting your orders for Bruins summer reading materials featuring Jeremy Swayman! Expected time for delivery to your library is about 2 weeks from now. All materials are available to print and download at the MBLC Awarehouse as well, please be in touch with any questions!
Yesterday, President Trump fired Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress who has been a champion of intellectual freedom. Hearing this news early today was both upsetting and infuriating. My colleague Karen Mellor, the Chief of Library Services at the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services framed the situation eloquently when she said, “The country is poorer now for the irrational removal of a respected and thoughtful leader of one of our nation’s leading institutions.” Dr. Hayden was the first woman and first African American Librarian of Congress. She was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by Congress in 2016, and served under the Obama, Trump, Biden, and Trump’s current administrations. Her entire career has been focused on equity in library services, patron privacy, outreach, and building diversity within the library workforce.
Dr. Hayden’s abrupt termination is a stark reminder that our freedom, including our freedom to read, is being challenged across the country. Hereat home we need to continue efforts to pass legislation that protects that right — and protects the librarians who work to ensure that all voices are part of library collections.
These are solid wins. In the long game they may move us closer to a return to reliable federal funding for libraries. But right now, the MBLC is facing difficult decisions that are based on what we do know: federal uncertainty persists. We cannot sign contracts or move ahead with services for FY2026 based on what we hope will happen with federal funding.
We’ve been asked if there’s a possibility that the flow of federal funding will return for FY2026. There’s always that possibility. And should the funding requirements align with the values we’ve held since our founding in 1890, we’ll gladly accept them and put them to work serving the people of the Commonwealth.
Please continue to reach out with questions. We appreciate your support.
In the meantime, with FY2026 rapidly approaching, the MBLC continues to navigate and plan for staff and services in a rapidly changing environment. Some states have received IMLS reimbursements (including us—more information below) and there are reports that funds for FY2026 are coming. On the surface these sound like positive developments. However, with little to no staff at IMLS (the majority of IMLS employees were placed on a 90 day leave at the end of March) and what appear to be new requirements to receive funding, questions remain about IMLS as a reliable source of funding.
Some quick background: Prior to President Trump’s Executive Order, IMLS required the MBLC to submit a five-year plan that sets broad strategic direction for the use of federal funds, and after five years there is an evaluation. Plans and evaluations are on the MBLC website.
Now, compliance with other executive orders filed by President Trump may be part of the process to receive IMLS funding. In late April, the MBLC received the email below from IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling asking the MBLC for the following information:
From the Sonderling email: Pursuant to 20 USC § 9134 and your obligations under the Grant Award Guidance and Statement of Assurances and Certifications, please provide IMLS with the following information:
Whether and how federal taxpayer dollars provided to you under the Grants to States program have been used, or are still being used, to subsidize programs that conflict with government policy as found below:
Executive Order 14151, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, and
Executive Order 14253, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, and
Executive Orders 13899 and 14188, Combating Anti-Semitism and Additional Measures To Combat Anti-Semitism, and
Executive Order 14168, Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, and
Executive Order 14202, Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias, and
Executive Order 14190, Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling, and
How federal taxpayer dollars provided to you under the Grants to States program are being used to facilitate access to resources that cultivate an educated and informed American citizenry, and
How you plan to involve your agencies in the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America?
The MBLC is responding with the requested information. That said, the MBLC remains committed to serving everyone—it’s what we have done since 1890 and it’s what we will continue to do.
In terms of reimbursements, as a sort of trial run, the MBLC submitted a small reimbursement to IMLS on April 6. Nearly a month later, we received notice that reimbursement is being processed. Before President Trump’s Executive Order, turnaround time for reimbursements was a few days. This lag time may be indicative of the ongoing challenges of trying to run IMLS with little to no staff.
Both the instability at IMLS and the Sonderling email serve as indicators that at this point, federal funding remains uncertain. This places the MBLC in the position of planning for FY2026 without federal funding. The broad effect of President Trump’s Executive Orders, impacting more than libraries, and creating funding challenges across the state, means that the state budget cannot make up the total loss of the $3.6 million in IMLS funds the MBLC receives.
At yesterday’s MBLC board meeting, I called the situation dire. For example, the state House Ways and Means budget, which level funded all MBLC budget lines, leaves us short in our agency line, 7000-9101. Without the increase of $415,000 to this line as requested in the FY2026 Legislative Agenda, and in spite of cutting absolutely everything possible from that line, the MBLC cannot cover the basic costs for the agency – salaries and the lease on our office space. There isn’t any place else within our budget lines that funding for agency operations can come from.
In terms of MBLC staff, we’re already lean—having gone from a staffing high of 38 in previous years to 23 current staff members. To provide the services required in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 78, we need every single person we currently have on staff. If we cut staff, we will have to cut services, and that would put us out of compliance with state law.
For FY2026, we continue to work on plans and are in constant communication with the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) and vendors as we figure out funding levels that would allow us to continue as many services as possible with the funds we have left.
Our efforts now turn to the Senate which will release its budget proposal this month. It is crucial that progress is made towards the funding requested in the FY2026 Legislative Agenda, especially budget line 7000-9101, Board of Library Commissioners.
Sincerely,
Maureen Amyot
Director, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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)
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.
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)
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)
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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 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.
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.
Book challenges are not new; but in the past few years, book challenges have been occurring in record numbers. According to the American Library Association (ALA), there were 45 book challenges in Massachusetts in 2022 affecting 57 titles. That’s more than the past 9 years (2013-2021) combined which totaled 38 challenges. Nationwide, ALA reported 1,270 book challenges in 2022, up significantly from 350 in 2019.
To date, no books have been banned in Massachusetts, however the Joint Task Force for Intellectual Freedom, with members from the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA), Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), Massachusetts Library System (MLS), the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA) were interested in whether the challenges were having other impacts on library services.
In July 2023 the task force conducted an informal survey to better understand the impact book challenges are having on library services and staff. The survey was open to library directors at all types of libraries who were asked to report on activity from June 30, 2022 to July 1, 2023.
Respondents by library type: Public: 199
School: 35
Academic: 2
Special: 1
Significant Findings:
11 public libraries with a total of 59 challenges (one library had 32) were not reported to ALA, MLA, or MSLA during June 30,2022 to July 1, 2023.
Nearly 25% of school and public librarian respondents combined reported being harassed on social media; 22% reported being harassed via email; 18% report being harassed in person related to book challenges or program challenges.
48.5% of school library respondents reported that they reconsidered displays and books or items featured due to negativity surrounding book challenges.
18% of public library respondents reported that they eased up on publicizing an event which may be considered controversial.
What is your favorite thing about being a commissioner?
In my short time as Commissioner, I have enjoyed visiting libraries and getting inspired by the creativity and thoughtfulness at play across Massachusetts. I always leave the libraries with the desire to return with my children. I also enjoy being a voice at the table where I can speak up for equity and equality, and being part of important conversations that affect library services for so many.
What do you love about your local library?
Although my family and I recently made our home in Haverhill, my longtime local library in Lawrence is where I enjoyed story times in the children’s room as a child, and where my son got his first library card. It’s also where I had the honor of leading as Director and being a part of growth and change so I love the special connection I have to it. Arts and culture play a large role in the Lawrence community and the library joined in by partnering with a local art organization on a 40-foot mural featuring Lawrence’s past to present with images of mill children to a young girl from the City today. Driving by that mural makes me smile as it helped to serve as a welcome back to many families who had not been engaging who could identify with the familiar images and know that the library was there to serve them.
The 40-foot mural outside of Lawrence Public Library.
What do you like to do when you’re not being a commissioner?
I enjoy traveling and dining with my family and experiencing shows from theater, concerts, and art exhibits which means we are catching up from the slowdown in 2020! The arts are important in my life and have led me to leading community writing clubs and exposing my son and daughter to different art forms. Little Ava loves to paint, and Jordan is learning to play the drums. Professionally, I’ve been enjoying growing my consultancy this past year where I am focused on providing thought leadership to executive directors and managers, as well as mentorship to their teams. I have the honor of co-producing the Bread and Roses labor festival for a second year in Lawrence through my consulting and look forward to supporting more individuals and organizations. I also lead worship at church and serve as a deacon.
What books have inspired you? *or* What book changed your life?
There are so many to choose from and they change according to the aspect of my life. I will say that one book that changed how I viewed leadership and organizational change is Jim Collin’s Good to Great. I read it while getting my Masters in Education and it has since served as the basis for how I approach my work, becoming the framework I used as a library director and now while coaching individuals. I was also greatly inspired by John Maxwell’s Put Your Dream to the Test which I read when I ventured off to live in LA after college and which motivated me to never stop working towards my goals. Aside from leadership books, I enjoy memoirs as I am deeply interested in who people really are and these vulnerable pieces of work allow us a better glimpse. I also think learning more about what makes someone tick versus only knowing the public version of them allows us to see the whole person, making us more authentic in our leadership and work and being better communicators.
What are you reading right now?
I’m currently reading and studying two cases from Harvard Business School to prepare for a day of learning this week, as part of an executive leadership network I am a part of called LEADS.
Boston Bruins PJ Drive event in 2019 with Commissioner Mary Ann Cluggish (leftmost) and Commissioner Jessica Vilas Novas (second to the right) when she was library director at Lawrence Public Library.
Did You Know? 🌠 The MBLC is the oldest state library agency in the country! 📚 Since the MBLC was established in 1890, library commissioners appointed by the governor have been tasked with the responsibility to develop, coordinate and improve library services throughout the Commonwealth. This week we are spotlighting *Commissioner Les Ball* who was appointed in 2018 and ending his term this year.
Commissioner Les Ball giving remarks at the Marlborough Public Library Groundbreaking in 2021.
What is your favorite thing about being a commissioner?
The most fun that a Commissioner has is breaking ground for a new or expanded library. The next is cutting the ribbon for a new library. At these events you see the positive impacts of our construction program on a community. Everyone at these events are happy and excited for their communities and what the library will do for them. I get to meet wonderful people all of whom give back to their communities in a variety of ways. It is also important for us to recognize that we are the lobbying group that is most responsible for keeping state funds for libraries growing. When I see these budgets increase, I am pleased with the success that we have had.
What do you love about your local library?
My local library, The Scituate Town Library, was rebuilt about 5 years ago with a grant from the MBLC. I was President of the Scituate Library Foundation that raised nearly $2M for the building. I have a great deal of pride that shows when I walk into the building. Beyond being a building, the library employees are some of the nicest people that you would ever want to meet. Their presence gives you a feeling of belonging that is extended to everyone. It is the only building in town that welcomes every citizen whether they are a three-year old for a story time, a teenager who needs help with a school project, or an elderly person who just wants to sit by the fire and read today’s newspaper. It’s home.
What do you like to do when you’re not being a commissioner?
(Commissioner Ball is pictured here with his dog, Lucille (Lucy) Ball!)
I am a golfer and live on a golf course. Needless to say, I play lots of golf. I also attend a lot of golfing events where I work with my son who manages the media for these events. Also, I love to travel with trips planned for Florida, California and Europe in the near future. I spend quite a bit of time playing guitar. After about 15 years of playing, I am not good but enjoy playing for myself. I try to learn a new song each week, mostly Beatles, America, Eagles, and other popular groups. Spending time with my wife and family is a high priority.
What books have inspired you? *or* What book changed your life?
Certainly, the Bible is the most inspirational book ever written. Books that enhance my faith are high on the list. While working, I read most of the books about leadership that came out. I am inspired by reading biographies about former presidents and other historic figures.
What are you reading right now?
I am reading Kristin Hannah’s “The Great Alone” about a family that moves to Alaska and trials that they go through. I am a member of a couple book club that has been in existence for over 45 years with nearly the same members. We read about 10 books per year. We have just finished reading “The Violin Conspiracy” by Brendan Slocumb. I am looking forward to our discussion about the book that will occur in a few days. However, one of the best parts of the group is that we each nominate a new book and explain why we should read it. I get a lot of reading ideas from that discussion.
Commissioner Les Ball & Karen Traub at Hadley Public Library Grand Opening in 2021.Scituate Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.Commissioner Les Ball at Cambridge Valente Branch Grand Opening in 2019.
By Judi Paradis, Librarian at Thomas R. Plympton Elementary School
The Special Commission on School Library Services in Massachusetts submitted its final report to the Legislature this month. George Comeau served on this Commission representing the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The report of the Commission includes key findings regarding equity and access issues in the Commonwealth’s school libraries. The Commission provided legislators with a series of recommendations for improving equity in Massachusetts public schools, and provided a comprehensive plan and timeline for their implementation. In a letter to the Massachusetts Legislature, the Commissioners urged legislators to accept their recommendations and work with DESE to ensure their implementation.
The Commission, which included legislators, members of the library and educational communities, and community members, contacted two respected researchers to conduct a comprehensive academic study to evaluate school library programs for equity using a series of data points specified in legislation passed by the Massachusetts Senate in 2013 (Bill S. 1906). The leading researcher, Dr. Carol A. Gordon, is a retired Associate Professor in the Department of Library and Information Science at Rutgers University where she served as the Co-Director of the Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL). She was assisted by Dr. Robin Cicchetti, Head Librarian at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School. The study was distributed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and data analysis assistance was provided by CISSL.
The Massachusetts School Library Study: Equity ad Access for Students in the Commonwealth provides a report of the research conducted by Drs. Gordon and Cicchetti along with five broad recommendations that as goals for a long-term plan. The complete report is available on the website of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and you can find it here. Analysis of the data and the resulting findings show there are statistically significant differences in measures of status and equity for students from urban and rural districts compared with students from suburban districts. Based on these findings, the Commission recommends:
Recommendation 1.0. Improve Access to School Libraries and School Librarians
Recommendation 1A. Every public school in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a school library and a certified school librarian.
Recommendation 1B. Establish the position and responsibilities of the School Library Curriculum Specialist at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Recommendation 1C. Support a culture of inquiry in schools that sustains inquiry and resource-based learning, collaborative teaching, and the integration of digital technology to improve access for all students
Recommendation 2.0. Improve Access to Information Resources in School Libraries:
Recommendation 2A. Increase access to print resources in school libraries.
Recommendation 2B. Increase access to electronic resources in school libraries.
Recommendation 3.0. Improve Access to Information Technology:
Recommendation 3A. Improve access to Internet and digital devices in school libraries.
Recommendation 3B. Increase access to Information Technology through staffing.
Recommendation 4.0. Improve Access to Library Instruction and Help.
Recommendation 4A. Promote best instructional practices in the school library.
Recommendation 5.0. Improve Access to Funding:
Funding cuts across all the dimensions of school librarianship. Guidelines for Budget Allocation and Expenditure should be developed to support Recommendations 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0.
The Commission thanks The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for providing support for this important work. We look forward to seeing our recommendations adopted to improve school library programs for all Massachusetts public school students.
