Funding Cuts Impact Massachusetts Libraries and Networks
January 13, 2016
Celeste Bruno
Communications Specialist
1-800-952-7403 x208
celeste.bruno@state.ma.us
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.
Automated library networks are key to sharing library resources across the state, giving residents access to 53 million items.
"No library could ever afford to own all the materials its patrons need," said Dianne Carty, director of the MBLC. "Thanks to resource sharing through the networks, everyone has equal access to holdings at all public libraries in the Commonwealth."
| Network | 9506 Awards in FY 15 | 9506 Awards in FY 16 | Reduction of Award YOY* |
| Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing (CLAMS) |
$135,549 | $98,087 | $-37,462 |
| Central/Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing (C/W MARS) |
$451,419 | $328,503 | $-122,916 |
| Metro Boston Library Network (MBLN) |
$252,413 | $200,621 | $-51,792 |
| Minuteman Library Network (MLN) |
$283,510 | $208,320 | $-75,190 |
| Merrimack Valley Library Consortium (MVLC) |
$147,600 | $120,999 | $-26,601 |
| North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE) |
$179,333 | $152,397 | $-26,936 |
| Old Colony Library Network (OCLN) |
$152,692 | $116,443 | $-36,249 |
| SAILS | $167,892 | $118,753 | $-49,139 |
| Total | $1,770,408 | $1,344,123 | $-426,285 |
* = year over year
Libraries pay a membership fee to belong to a network. The account for Technology and Resource Sharing is used in part to offset the cost of network membership. Because of this drastic cut, libraries will either experience an increase in their network membership fees or a scaling back of the services their networks are able to offer.
Small libraries (serving a population of 10,000 and under) may be hit the hardest. Last year, many additional libraries received funding from the MBLC's Small Libraries in Networks Program for the first time. Funding to this program has been reduced by 12 percent. As a result, the MBLC anticipates that many small libraries will find network membership beyond their means.
The chart below includes the number of libraries that have received assistance through the Small Libraries in Networks Program, the number of items residents receive from other libraries through resource sharing, and the network funding reduction.
| Senate District | # of Libraries in District | Network(s) | # of libraries assisted by the Small Libraries in Networks Program | Items residents borrowed through resource sharing (Interlibrary Loan) in FY 14 | 2013 Population | Funding to Networks cut from FY 15-FY 16 |
| Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, Hampden | 53 | C/WMARS | 26 | 172,161 | 154,237 | $-122,916 |
| Bristol and Norfolk | 9 | SAILS-6 MLN-1 OCLN-2 |
N/A | 265,060 | 185,437 | SAILS=$-49,139 OCLN=$-36,249 MLN=$-75,190 |
| Cape and Islands | 20 | CLAMS | 13 | 441,141 | 170,679 | $-37,462 |
| Fifth Middlesex | 6 | MBLN-1 NOBLE-4 MLN-1 |
N/A | 181,244 | 179,073 | MBLN=$-51,792 NOBLE=$-29,936 MLN=$-75,190 |
| First Bristol and Plymouth | 7 | SAILS | 2 | 97,960 | 164,326 | $-49,139 |
| First Essex | 7 | MVLC | 2 | 213,098 | 189,461 | $-26,601 |
| First Essex and Middlesex | 16 | MVLC=15 NOBLE=1 |
11 | 263,775 | 183,677 | MVLC=$-26,601 NOBLE=$-29,936 |
| First Hampden and Hampshire | 9 | C/WMARS | 3 | 186,944 | 303,456 | $-122,916 |
| First Middlesex | 6 | MVLC-5 C/MARS-1 |
2 | 115,156 | 170,517 | MVLC=$-26,601 C/WMARS=$-122,916 |
| First Middlesex and Norfolk | 3 | MLN | N/A | 393,042 | 176,189 | $-75,190 |
| First Plymouth and Bristol | 9 | SAILS | 3 | 177,257 | 172,257 | $-49,139 |
| First Suffolk | 1 | MBLN | N/A | 6,388 | 645,966 | $-51,792 |
| First Suffolk and Middlesex | 4 | NOBLE-2 MBLN-1 MLN-1 |
N/A | 237,178 | 825,122 | NOBLE=$-26,936 MBLN=$-51,792 MLN=$-75,190 |
| First Worcester | 7 | C/WMARS | 3 | 136,592 | 244,766 | $-122,916 |
| Fourth Middlesex | 5 | MLN-3 MVLC-2 |
N/A | 269,936 | 183,112 | MLN=$-75,190 MVLC=$-26,601 |
| Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester | 26 | C/WMARS | 16 | 278,241 | 185,786 | $-122,916 |
| Middlesex and Suffolk | 4 | MBLN-2 NOBLE-1 MLN-1 |
N/A | 244,648 | 833,860 | MBLN=$-51,792 NOBLE=$-29,936 MLN=$-75,190 |
| Middlesex and Worcester | 14 | MLN-4 C/WMARS-9 MVLC-1 |
7 | 319,545 | 197,218 | MLN=$-75,190 C/WMARS=$-122,916 MVLC=$-26,601 |
| Norfolk and Plymouth | 5 | OCLN | N/A | 197,238 | 174,929 | $-36,249 |
| Norfolk and Suffolk | 6 | MLN-5 MBLN-1 |
1 | 176,847 | 750,625 | MLN=$-75,190 MBLN=$-51,792 |
| Norfolk, Bristol, and Middlesex | 12 | MLN-7 SAILS-5 |
3 | 410,044 | 256,820 | MLN=$-75,190 SAILS=$-49,139 |
| Norfolk, Bristol, and Plymouth | 10 | OCLN-7 SAILS-3 |
2 | 331,528 | 215,087 | OCLN=$-36,249 SAILS=$-49,139 |
| Plymouth and Barnstable | 6 | SAILS-1 CLAMS-2 OCLN-3 |
N/A | 199,208 | 160,708 | SAILS=$-49,139 CLAMS=$-37,462 OCLN=$-36,249 |
| Plymouth and Norfolk | 8 | OCLN | 1 | 199,261 | 166,581 | $-36,249 |
| Second Bristol and Plymouth | 5 | SAILS | 1 | 145,059 | 162,222 | $-49,139 |
| Second Essex | 5 | NOBLE=4 MVLC=1 |
1 | 135,101 | 169,123 | NOBLE=$-26,936 MVLC=$-26,601 |
| Second Essex and Middlesex | 4 | MVLC | N/A | 171,491 | 172,928 | $-26,601 |
| Second Hampden and Hampshire | 11 | C/WMARS | 4 | 129,281 | 202,313 | $-122,916 |
| Second Middlesex | 4 | MLN | N/A | 379,428 | 265,342 | $-75,190 |
| Second Middlesex and Norfolk | 7 | MLN-6 C/WMARS-1 |
1 | 238,664 | 198,519 | MLN=$-75,190 C/WMARS=$-122,916 |
| Second Plymouth and Bristol | 8 | OCLN-3 SAILS-5 |
2 | 125,448 | 181,697 | OCLN=$-36,249 SAILS=$-49,139 |
| Second Suffolk | 1 | MBLN | N/A | 6,388 | 645,966 | $-51,792 |
| Second Suffolk and Middlesex | 3 | MLN-2 MBLN-1 |
N/A | 142,394 | 704,294 | MLN=$-75,190 MBLN=$-51,792 |
| Second Worcester | 8 | C/WMARS | 4 | 180,807 | 301,736 | $-122,916 |
| Third Essex | 6 | NOBLE | N/A | 85,474 | 169,303 | $-26,936 |
| Third Middlesex | 9 | MLN MVLC |
2 | 450,870 | 204,672 | MLN=$-75,190 MVLC=$-26,601 |
| Worcester and Middlesex | 11 | C/WMARS | 7 | 143,182 | 166,968 | $-122,916 |
| Worcester and Norfolk | 14 | C/WMARS | 7 | 121,822 | 175,543 | $-122,916 |
| Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, and Middlesex | 28 | C/WMARS | 20 | 122,731 | 163,910 | $-122,916 |
About MBLC
The Board of Library Commissioners (mass.gov/mblc) is the agency of state government with the statutory authority and responsibility to organize, develop, coordinate and improve library services throughout the Commonwealth. The Board advises municipalities and library trustees on the operation and maintenance of public libraries, including construction and renovation. It administers state and federal grant programs for libraries and promotes cooperation among all types of libraries through regional library systems and automated resource sharing. It also works to ensure that all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of their geographic location, social or economic status, age, level of physical or intellectual ability or cultural background, have access to essential new electronic information technologies and significant electronic databases.