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MBLC Service Update MBLC Monthly Board Meetings<\/u><\/strong> Construction-The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP)<\/u><\/strong> Library construction not considered essential<\/em><\/strong> Contracts\/Business Office LSTA (Federal funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services)<\/u><\/strong> We recognize that the shutdown of libraries and all non-essential businesses makes the collection of community and stakeholder input into the strategic planning process nearly impossible. In addition it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a long lasting impact on libraries and the services they provide. With this extension of strategic planning deadlines, libraries will have the ability to gather input when they re-open and are better able to engage their communities in the process. Libraries get even more creative with their LSTA grants<\/strong> Networks Preservation and Disaster Recovery<\/u> Promotion<\/u><\/strong> State Aid To Public Libraries<\/u> Statewide digital library – libraries.state.ma.us MSLA\u2019s new website<\/strong> the Virtual School Librarian<\/a> highlights the statewide databases and other statewide resources from BPL in addition to connecting users with a school librarian.<\/p>\n Summer\/Bruins<\/u> Trustees and Friends 2020 Census The official census tracking map<\/a> tracks self-response rates from around the country. MBLC Service Update April 8, 2020 As 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. State Budget Due to technical difficulties, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,2],"tags":[210,219],"class_list":["post-818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-library-news","category-mblc","tag-covid-19","tag-service-update"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=818"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1069,"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818\/revisions\/1069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/mblc_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/u>April 8, 2020
\n<\/strong>
\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.<\/strong>
\n<\/u>
\nState Budget<\/u><\/strong>
\nDue to technical difficulties, the Ways and Means (virtual) Hearing about revised revenue projections that was scheduled to take place on April 7 has been moved to next week. Director Lonergan and Mary Rose Quinn plan to participate. The House and Senate will use these revised figures to develop their FY 2021 budget proposals. 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.
\n<\/u><\/p>\n
\n<\/u>Contact: Rachel Masse<\/strong><\/a>
\nOn April, 2, for the first time in its 130 year history, the MBLC held its monthly board meeting<\/strong><\/a> virtually-via Zoom. The MBLC 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.
\nMBLC Chair Roland Ochsenbein opened the meeting with some thoughtful observations<\/a> of our current circumstances.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact:\u00a0 Lauren Stara<\/a>
\nAndrea Bunker<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMBLC management has been working to get clarification on public library construction activity in light of the Governor\u2019s narrowing of the definition of \u201cessential\u201d construction found here: https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/covid-19-essential-services#public-works-&-infrastructure-support-services-<\/a>.
\nOn Monday, the Chief Secretary and Director of Personnel and Administration in Gov. Baker’s office, stated \u201cIn our intention of the order and the reading of the order, Library construction, if not part of a State College Campus or being performed under the care and oversight of The State Division of Capital Asset Management, is deemed non-essential work at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Contact: Tracey Dimant<\/a>
\n<\/u><\/strong>The MBLC business office is preparing to send out the final payments to the networks, as soon as the final allotment for the 7000-9506 line comes in. They are also\u00a0continuing to\u00a0 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>
\nStrategic Planning Guidance<\/strong>
\nThe MBLC has important information for libraries regarding the October 1, 2020 deadline for filing strategic plans. Due to the tremendous disruption and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries with expired strategic plans as of October 1, 2020 will be given a one year extension. Libraries under this extension will still be eligible for LSTA direct grants if they file an updated action plan that will be due on December 1, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nIf you have any questions please contact Rob Favini<\/a>, Head of Library Advisory and Development.<\/p>\n
\nIn addition to the many online story hours and virtual book groups that have been scheduled, Shelley Quezada (MBLC Consultant to the Unserved)\u00a0attended an first hour long zoom strength-based training session\u00a0for seniors that the Shutesbury library held as part of their\u00a0\u00a0LSTA outreach\u00a0grant. There were 14 people including one Shutesbury resident who zoomed in from Puerto Rico.\u00a0They will be holding thee zoom sessions twice a week. Shelley reports, \u201cThe class\u00a0was a lot of work but this is a novel way for us as\u00a0program monitors to do a virtual site visit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Contact: Paul Kissman<\/a>
\nKate Butler<\/a>
\n<\/u>The Taylor Memorial Library in Hancock received\u00a0assistance from a Library Services and Technology (LSTA) grant given by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) for joining the CW MARS Automated Network in FY20.\u00a0 They are one of seven small libraries that have joined CW MARS in the last five years with grant assistance; the others include: Ashburnham, Blandford, Charlemont\u00a0(which also serves Hawley), Tolland, Oakham, and Lanesborough.
\nlearn more<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact: Evan Knight<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nThe following grants were approved:
\nPorter Memorial Library, Blandford – $4,200
\nGriswold Memorial Library, Colrain – $4,200
\nHamilton-Wenham Public Library, Hamilton – $4,200
\nWellesley High School, Wellesley – $4,200
\nlearn more<\/a><\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>The webinar recording can be accessed here<\/a>.
\nFollow-up\u00a0questions for the CDC, may be submitted to imlsinfo@imls.gov<\/a>.
\nThe materials and links mentioned in the webinar have been added to the IMLS coronavirus page<\/a> under “Official Government Information and Resources.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\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
\n<\/strong>In an effort to support libraries participating in the State Aid to Public Libraries Program as they cope with this emergency, the Board of Library Commissioners approved changes to the State Aid Program Standards Policies at their monthly Board meeting on April 2, 2020. There will be other updates as we assess the ongoing crisis and determine how best the MBLC can support you, your staff, your libraries, and the communities you serve.
\n<\/strong>Rather than address the changes individually in each of the ten policies for both 2020 and 2021<\/strong>, the modifications are reflected and were approved through an Emergency Preamble to the State Aid to Public Libraries Program Policies<\/a> <\/strong>which has been added to the State Aid Policies section of the website and as a preface to the printed versions of the policy documents going forward.
\nPress release regarding changes<\/a><\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Liz Babbitt continues to update the Public\u00a0\u00a0Library Closures Google Docs for both libraries and the public.
\nLinks to the documents:<\/strong>
\nFor Patrons<\/a>
\nFor Librarians<\/a>
\nChanges and updates<\/strong> can be submitted through the LibWizard form<\/a><\/li>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Contact: Kate Butler<\/a> (website issues)
\nMatt Perry (content additions)<\/a>
\n<\/strong>MBLC staff have been updating our public portal, libraries.state.ma.us<\/a>,\u00a0 with free resources both from libraries and from other outside groups.\u00a0 We\u2019re calling it: We\u2019re in this together digital library<\/em><\/a>. The entire state has been given access to TumbleBooks collections for free until August 31, 2020, and EBSCO has also granted free access to some of their eBooks until June 30, 2020: EBSCO and Tumblebooks<\/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.
\nPlease email Matt if you have content you\u2019d like us to add.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Contact: Celeste Bruno<\/a>
\nRachel Masse<\/a>
\nMatt Perry<\/a> (materials and orders)
\n<\/strong>MBLC Staff has worked with our partners the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins and First Lady of the Commonwealth Lauren Baker to create a simple and fun Summer Reading Challenge that may help kids and families stay connected to public libraries over the summer as typical summer programs may not be possible. MBLC Staff will email further information about the challenge later this week.
\nWhile it remains unclear when Blades visits can happen, the MBLC will still conduct the drawing for Bruins prizes in May.<\/p>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Contact: Maura Deedy<\/a>
\nRob Favini<\/a>
\nTrustee Orientations<\/strong> are moving to a virtual format. Stay tuned for more information. In the meantime don\u2019t forget to take advantage of the resources available to trustees on the MBLC website: https:\/\/mblc.state.ma.us\/for\/trustees.php<\/a> . Here you will find links to the MBLC Trustee Resource Guide<\/a> and the Library Trustee Handbook<\/a>.
\nMaura has also put together a list of Open Meeting Law directives about remote participation and resources http:\/\/guides.mblc.state.ma.us\/c.php?g=43533&p=7408550<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Contact: Maura Deedy<\/a>
\n<\/u>April 1 was Census Day: ten minutes for ten questions to help shape the next ten years. Here\u2019s how to get started: https:\/\/my2020census.gov\/<\/a><\/p>\n
\nResources are available<\/a> to help you get the word out.
\nMBLC LibGuide: https:\/\/guides.mblc.state.ma.us\/census<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"