2016 News Releases
December 15, 2016 - MBLC Awarded Prestigious NEH Preservation Grant
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of a two-year $196,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to initiate a statewide project that will bring local first responders together with members of the cultural heritage community in an ...
READ MORENovember 17, 2016 - MBLC Awards First Round of State Aid
At its November meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved the disbursement of FY 2017 State Aid awards, totaling $689,630 to 74 municipalities that met State Aid to Public Libraries Program requirements. The awards are roughly half of the total state aid funding that these libraries will...
READ MOREOctober 27, 2016 - Reading Cuts Ribbon On New Library Building
It was standing room only at the grand opening of the brand new Reading Public Library as residents flocked to see the renovated building for the first time. After two years of being housed in a temporary space, the expanded library was a welcome sight for patrons young and old....
READ MORESeptember 27, 2016 - Town of Shrewsbury Celebrates New Library
On September 21, 2016, Shrewsbury residents were joined by local and state officials at the grand opening of the newly renovated Shrewsbury Public Library. The $23 million project was funded in part through a $7.9 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners' (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library C...
READ MORESeptember 20, 2016 - Bruins Summer Reading Prizes Awarded
Just in time for the Boston Bruins first pre-season game, young readers across the Commonwealth received Bruins prizes based on their participation in the statewide summer reading programs at public libraries....
READ MOREAugust 26, 2016 - State Officials Inspire Kids to Read
This summer, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) challenged all residents to choose four books to read over the summer and share them on social media to encourage others to read as well. The "What's Your Four?" campaign launched because children who read just four books over the summer fare better o...
READ MOREAugust 23, 2016 - The MBLC Welcomes Ruth Urell
After an extensive search, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is happy to welcome Ruth Urell to the role of Head of Library Advisory and Development. Ms. Urell will be working with library trustees and friends, and will assist in administering Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) grants and progr...
READ MOREJuly 27, 2016 - MBLC Grants Help Libraries Innovate
At its July 14 meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) awarded $310,149 in 29 grants to public and academic libraries throughout the Commonwealth under the Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)....
READ MOREJuly 25, 2016 - Governor Reappoints Commissioner Kronholm
Commissioner Mary Kronholm has been reappointed by Governor Charlie Baker to a five-year term on the nine-member Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). Her reappointment is the first by Governor Baker, and keeps together one of the most active groups of Commissioners the MBLC has ever had....
READ MOREJuly 22, 2016 - MBLC Seeks Overrides of Governor's Vetoes
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is asking legislators to override the vetoes made by Governor Charlie Baker on line items used to fund important library resources. Library lines currently face a $450,009 cut in the budget signed by Governor Baker on July 8. The Massachusetts House and Senate hav...
READ MOREJuly 11, 2016 - Funding to Libraries Reduced in Governor’s Budget
Governor Charlie Baker signed the $39 billion FY 2017 state budget proposal on July 8, 2016, vetoing $256 million in spending. Funding to libraries through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) was reduced by $450,009. Below are the MBLC budget lines that were vetoed or reduced in the governor's budge...
READ MOREJuly 05, 2016 - Edgartown Cuts the Ribbon on New Library
On Saturday, June 25, residents and officials gathered to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the brand new Edgartown Public Library. The $13,489,552 project was funded in part by a $5,002,139 grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) through the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (M...
READ MOREJune 10, 2016 - The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Asks Residents: "What’s Your Four?"
Children who read just four books over the summer fare better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who read one or no books. Because of this, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is challenging all Massachusetts residents to pick four books to read over the summer months and to...
READ MOREJune 08, 2016 - Boston Bruins and Summer Library Fun
Since 2009, the Boston Bruins have been teaming up with Massachusetts libraries for summer library events through the program "When you read, you score!" This year, the Bruins will visit 10 libraries across the Commonwealth to encourage kids and teens to read over the summer....
READ MOREMay 31, 2016 - Senate Increases Funding to Networks
The Massachusetts State Senate has adopted its version of the FY 2017 state spending bill and has sent its budget on to conference committee. Two of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) lines received increases. The Senate restored $300,000 of the $652,674 FY 2016 cut to Library Technology and Resour...
READ MOREMay 17, 2016 - Senate Ways and Means Releases Budget Recommendation
The Senate Committee on Ways and Means announced its FY 2017 budget recommendation on May 17. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) listed the four line items that make up resource sharing as their funding priorities for FY 2017. Two of the lines, the MBLC's administrative line (7000-9101) and Technol...
READ MOREMay 15, 2016 - Framingham Dedicates the Christa McAuliffe Branch
On May 15, Framingham residents joined local and state officials to celebrate the dedication of the new Christa McAuliffe Branch Library. Lisa Bristol, Christa McAuliffe's sister, spoke about her sister's love for learning and exploration that inspired others and led the Framingham native to be selected for NASA's firs...
READ MOREMay 05, 2016 - MBLC Authorizes Library Construction Grant Round
At its May 5, 2016 Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) authorized the 2016-2017 Library Construction Grant round under the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). Many public libraries struggle to meet the growing demand for library services in buildings...
READ MOREMay 02, 2016 - Two Library Priorities Funded in House Final Budget
The Massachusetts House of Representatives has adopted its version of the FY 2017 state spending bill and has sent its budget on to the Senate. Statewide resource sharing is the library community's priority in the FY 2017 Legislative Agenda, and funding was increased to two of the four Massachusetts Board of Library Co...
READ MOREApril 13, 2016 - No Funding Increase for Libraries in House Recommendation
The House Committee on Ways and Means announced its FY 2017 budget recommendation on April 13. Statewide resource sharing is the library community's priority in the FY 2017 Legislative Agenda. However, the four Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) line items that make resource sharing possible were all f...
READ MOREApril 09, 2016 - Libraries Help Set a New Bruins PJ Drive Record
With help from Massachusetts libraries, the 9th Annual Boston Bruins/Cradles to Crayons PJ Drive soared passed its target goal of 6,750 PJs, collecting more than 8,312 pairs of new pajamas and $11,298.31 in financial donations. This is a new record for the drive....
READ MOREApril 08, 2016 - Boston Bruins Extend Summer Library Partnership to New Hampshire
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) and the Boston Bruins are extending their summer reading partnership north to New Hampshire for summer 2016, sharing resources and materials with the New Hampshire State Library....
READ MOREApril 02, 2016 - West Springfield Dedicates New Library
On April 2, West Springfield residents celebrated the dedication of the newly renovated and expanded West Springfield Public Library....
READ MOREMarch 15, 2016 - Hopkinton Breaks Ground on New Library Building
On March 11, 2016, residents and officials gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new construction project that will renovate and expand the Hopkinton Public Library. The project will take the library from 5,783 square feet to over 22,000 square feet and will include a new conference room, a multipurpose and p...
READ MOREMarch 07, 2016 - Board Approves Changes to State Aid
At its March board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved several recommended changes to the State Aid to Public Libraries program. These changes affect the following:...
READ MOREMarch 03, 2016 - Sandwich Regains State Aid Certification
At its March meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) voted to grant the appeal of the FY 2016 Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR) to Sandwich, rescinding its denial of the waiver on February 4. This action certifies the library to participate in the FY 2016 State Aid to Public Libraries p...
READ MOREMarch 02, 2016 - Cindy Roach Moves On from the MBLC
At the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners' (MBLC) February meeting, Commissioners thanked Cindy Roach for her invaluable contributions to statewide library programming which have impacted all residents of the Commonwealth. Ms. Roach had recently announced she would be leaving the MBLC, where she served as Hea...
READ MOREFebruary 09, 2016 - Sandwich Loses State Aid Certification
At its February board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) denied Sandwich Public Library's petition for a waiver of the FY 2016 Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR). The MAR is funding from the municipality used to support the library. This and other State Aid to Public Libraries Progr...
READ MOREJanuary 28, 2016 - Governor Releases FY 2017 Budget Recommendations
On January 27, 2016, Governor Charlie Baker released his FY 2017 budget recommendations. After removing $124,000 in earmarks to individual libraries from the FY 2016 budget, state funding to libraries is level-funded to FY 2016 totals. In a climate where libraries are struggling to maintain network membership and the s...
READ MOREJanuary 20, 2016 - State Aid Certification and Waiver Applicants
At its January meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved an additional group of libraries that met all requirements for the State Aid to Public Libraries program. To date, 284 communities have been certified and nearly $3.4 million has been awarded in State Aid funding. Commissioners a...
READ MOREJanuary 13, 2016 - Funding Cuts Impact Massachusetts Libraries and Networks
State funding cuts of nearly 25 percent to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC)'s Technology and Resource Sharing account (line item 7000-9506) have caused a reduction in funding to the nine automated library networks....
READ MOREJanuary 07, 2016 - Massachusetts Libraries Fall Below FCC Standards
All Massachusetts public libraries are currently below the national bandwidth standard set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after the 2014 E-Rate Modernization Order. In FY 2014, Massachusetts residents sat down at a computer in a public library to access the internet every 4.5 seconds, indicating that In...
READ MORENews Releases By Year
For More Information & Press Inquiries
Celeste Bruno, Communications Director
617-725-1860 x208
857-488-6206 (Mobile)
celeste.bruno@mass.gov
June Thammasnong, Communications Specialist
617-725-1860 x240
857-488-7004 (Mobile)
june.thammasnong@mass.gov