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MBLC Service Update The legislature remains active and have passed or are considering several bills addressing the current crisis. Passed bills include moving the tax filing deadline to July 15 and allowing municipalities to delay municipal elections.<\/p>\n Federal Budget Construction-The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP)<\/u><\/strong> Those new state rules require, among other things, all workers to self-certify before each shift that they are not sick and that certain construction workers have their temperatures taken daily. Also last week, the Governor\u2019s chief legal counsel\u00a0sent a letter\u00a0(https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/doc\/march-25-2020-construction-guidance\/download<\/a>) to city and town executives with the new guidance and instructions that all construction projects should continue operations during the Governor’s state of emergency but with social distancing measures incorporated. The guidance imposes a zero tolerance policy at work sites. If a worker is sick, they are to remain home. If a worker begins to feel sick on the job, they are to go home. And if a supervisor sees a worker who appears sick, they are to send the worker home.<\/p>\n Please keep us updated as you are implementing the guidelines required in the Governor\u2019s directives and let us know of difficulties or challenges you face in the implementation of those guidelines.<\/p>\n Contracts\/Business Office LSTA (Federal funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services)<\/u><\/strong> Networks Preservation and Disaster Recovery<\/u> If you have follow-up\u00a0questions for the CDC, you may submit them to imlsinfo@imls.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n The materials and links mentioned in the webinar have been added to the IMLS coronavirus page<\/a> under “Official Government Information and Resources.”<\/p>\n Promotion<\/u><\/strong> State Aid To Public Libraries<\/u> Changes and updates<\/strong> can be submitted through our LibWizard form:\u00a0https:\/\/mblc.libwizard.com\/f\/covid-19<\/a><\/p>\n Statewide digital library – libraries.state.ma.us Summer\/Bruins Trustees and Friends 2020 Census New resources that can help you get the word out: https:\/\/2020census.gov\/en\/how-to-help.html?utm_campaign=20200330msc20s1ccallrs&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/u>April 1, 2020
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\nAs we work together to get through the current reality, the MBLC will provide regular updates on MBLC services and other statewide issues.\u00a0 Please let us know if there\u2019s info you\u2019d like us to cover\u2014we\u2019ll include it if we are able. Stay well.
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\nState Budget<\/u><\/strong>
\nDirector Lonergan has been in touch with leaders of the Library Legislative Caucus. The Governor released his budget recommendation<\/a> in January. However, it is uncertain whether the House and the Senate will be able to adhere to the normal budget schedule. House Ways and Means typically releases their budget in April and Senate Ways and Means releases theirs in May. The next fiscal year begins on July 1, 2020.<\/p>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced that the President has signed the CARES Act, which designates $50 million in coronavirus response funding for IMLS. Following passage in the House of Representatives, both chambers of Congress approved of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion response to the growing pandemic. The IMLS press release<\/a> has more information. The MBLC anticipates further guidance on how much funding Massachusetts will receive and how these funds may be used.
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\nMBLC Monthly Board Meetings<\/u>
\n<\/strong>Contact: Rachel Masse<\/a>
\nThe MBLC held an emergency board meeting, via conference call, on March 19, 2020. The Board is holding its April 2, 2020<\/a> meeting via Zoom and will continue to address board business in this way until in-person meetings are again possible. Board meetings are the first Thursday of every month.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact:\u00a0 Lauren Stara<\/a>
\nAndrea Bunker<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nGovernor\u00a0Baker\u2019s new guidance\u00a0for all public construction projects statewide requires adherence to the “safety stand down” guidelines\u00a0provided to the construction industry last week. This temporary order requires a halt to public construction projects (effective 3\/27\/2020), and applies to all projects managed or sponsored by the state or a state agency, including the library construction projects funded through the Massachusetts\u00a0Public\u00a0Library\u00a0Construction\u00a0Program (MPLCP), while contractors review site-specific issues, develop mitigation strategies and communicate to workers about new state guidelines for construction work during the coronavirus pandemic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Contact: Tracey Dimant<\/a>
\n<\/u><\/strong>The MBLC business office sent out the second State Aid payments last week and continues to process contracts,\u00a0funding requests from affiliates, and\u00a0invoices\u00a0from\u00a0vendors,\u00a0as well as handling daily operations.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact: Lyndsay Forbes<\/a>
\nShelley Quezada<\/a>
\nRob Favini<\/a>
\nOfficial statement<\/a> regarding the current direct grant round<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Contact: Paul Kissman<\/a>
\nKate Butler<\/a>
\n<\/u><\/strong>MBLC convened a meeting with automated resource sharing network administrators and MLS last week to share current practices and planning around the pandemic.\u00a0 Networks discussed eBook and audio content handling and purchasing, requesting and borrowing parameters, such as changes in overdues, patron notifications, amnesty periods, and how patron-placed holds are affected.\u00a0 In particular networks discussed possible plans for managing the backlog of materials when libraries begin to reopen to the public and the statewide delivery system comes back online.<\/p>\n
\nContact: Evan Knight<\/a>
\n<\/strong>MBLC Preservation Specialist Evan Knight, in collaboration with COSTEP MA board members and subscribers (\u201cCoordinated Statewide Emergency Preparedness in Massachusetts\u201d), has developed guidelines for response from the perspective of collections preservation. The page, \u201cPublic Health Emergencies: COVID-19<\/a>,\u201d was published March 13, and recently updated March 26 to reflect the dynamic situation. Two national organizations have recently cited the page for wider distribution: the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association, at \u201cHandling Library Materials and Collections During a Pandemic<\/a>,\u201d and the American Institute for Conservation, at \u201cCollections Care Amid COVID-19<\/a>.\u201d Thanks to Evan on this resource, which will be continuously updated, and please feel free to reach out to him with questions and concerns regarding your collections.
\nEvan also shares this valuable webinar from IMLS and the CDC: Mitigating COVID-19 When Managing Paper-Based, Circulating, and Other Types of Collections.
\n<\/strong>The webinar recording can be accessed here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n<\/u>Contact: Celeste Bruno<\/a>
\nMatthew Perry<\/a>
\nStaff are using MBLC social media channels to connect users and librarians to digital resources.
\nThe team has also created promotional posts for libraries to use on their social media channels:
\nDigital Library<\/a> social media posts
\n<\/u>New databases<\/a> social media posts
\nDatabase promotion<\/strong>
\nThe MBLC has developed database promotion for social media that takes users directly into the databases and gives the local library the usage statistic:
\nDatabases Dogs<\/a>
\nDatabases Wellness<\/a>
\nDatabases Kids<\/a>
\nDatabases: Home Improvement<\/a>
\nDatabases Healthy Aging<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact: Liz. Babbit<\/a>
\nUechi Ng<\/a>
\nMary Rose Quinn<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nLinks to the documents:<\/strong>
\nFor Patrons
\nhttps:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1FeAKwGWmgQqrxwFSV12bko3lgrqwp3XACbRwctFeC6w\/edit?usp=sharing<\/a>
\nFor Librarians
\nhttps:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1jxcw4bwx3Z0ma0MR478qIE1WfBNoIcQczKogg3JyPpI\/edit?usp=sharing<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Contact: Kate Butler<\/a> (website issues)
\nMatt Perry (content additions)<\/a>
\n<\/strong>MBLC staff have been working to increase ease of access to digital resources. The consumer portal libraries.state.ma.us<\/a> has been updated and expanded to include free-for-now resources as well as unique opportunities from authors, illustrators and educators. The resources can be seen at https:\/\/libraries.state.ma.us\/pages\/free-resources<\/a>\u00a0 Always free statewide resources are also included.\u00a0 This one-stop place makes it easy for residents to find library resources and other free resources.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact: Celeste Bruno<\/a>
\nRachel Masse<\/a>
\nMatt Perry<\/a> (materials and orders)
\n<\/strong>Staff has been in touch with our partners at the Boston Bruins. Many Bruins staff have been furloughed, including the staffer who works with us on the summer program. Right now , it is unclear whether Blades visits will occur this summer. Bruins summer materials have all been developed but the MBLC is holding off on orders for now. MBLC staff is working to confirm if the new for 2020 First Lady and Blades Summer Reading Challenge can still move forward. Staff has taken orders for the national CSLP poster but getting them out to the libraries is an issue due to closures.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact: Maura Deedy<\/a>
\nRob Favini<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Our Spring schedule of Trustee Orientations<\/strong> is currently paused in compliance with Governor Baker\u2019s social distancing protocols. We will resume trustee orientations as\u00a0soon as we can.
\nBut in the meantime remember that Maura and Rob are available to answer any questions that you have regarding new trustee onboarding, best practices, or the latest MBLC information regarding library services during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact: Maura Deedy<\/a>
\nMaura\u2019s reminder: being home is the perfect time to take the census online or by telephone.<\/p>\n