MBLC Grants Help Libraries Innovate
July 27, 2016
Celeste Bruno
Communications Specialist
1-800-952-7403 x208
celeste.bruno@state.ma.us
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).
"These libraries are to be congratulated. It's clear from the high quality of their proposals that a lot of hard work and careful analysis of local needs went into the preparation of the grants," said Ruth Urell, Head of Library Advisory and Development at the MBLC. "The ideas and creativity expressed in these exciting and innovative projects will lead to outstanding results that benefit local communities throughout Massachusetts."
Shrewsbury Public Library is using an Innovative Program grant to launch the Good Day Memory café to serve the growing population of people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, as well as their care partners. The library will host bimonthly meetings to offer socialization opportunities that will enhance health and well-being for both the person with Alzheimer's and their care partners. Library resources will be expanded to meet the needs of this population and will be used as part the café meetings.
Weymouth Public Library is also using an Innovative Program grant to get commuters reading with its "All Aboard, Greenbush!: One Train, One Book" initiative. The program connects the riders of the Greenbush Commuter Line to their local libraries in Hingham, Scituate, and Weymouth - and to their fellow passengers - by engaging them in a Greenbush-wide reading of The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry That Built America's First Subway by Doug Most. In collaboration with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, author Doug Most, and the Cohasset Historical Society, the program will introduce commuter rail riders to the extensive digital and print resources and services available in their local communities.
Several libraries are using Mind in the Making grants to develop innovative programming and spaces that encourage invention and tinkering, where children ages 0-6 can explore simple concepts in tactile, real ways. This kind of space fuels a child's natural curiosity and teaches valuable lessons by helping them develop fine motor skills, problem solving abilities, and peer relationships. Activities also include family programs on the Brain Building in Progress website and creativity kits that can be borrowed by parents and caregivers, or used in local preschools.
A complete list of the awards is below. Descriptions of all LSTA grant opportunities are available on the MBLC website.
| Municipality | Institution Name | Grant Category | Award Amount |
| Amherst | Jones Library | Mind in the Making | $10,000 |
| Andover | Memorial Hall Library | Preservation Assessment | $4,200 |
| Barnstable | Cotuit Library | Innovative - Computer Coding Camp (CS3) | $7,956 |
| Barnstable | Marstons Mills Public Library | Customer Experience | $10,000 |
| Barre | Woods Memorial Library | Mind in the Making | $10,000 |
| Bellingham | Bellingham Public Library | Mind in the Making | $10,000 |
| Boston | Boston Public Library | Innovative - Engineering is Everywhere | $7,500 |
| Chelsea | Chelsea Public Library | Citizenship Corners and Expanded English Language Services | $15,000 |
| Cohasset | Paul Pratt Memorial Library | Serving People with Disabilities | $9,889 |
| Concord | Concord Free Public Library | Mind in the Making | $7,500 |
| Framingham | Framingham State Library, Henry Whittemore Library | Jobs/Career Information at Your Library | $6,288 |
| Framingham | Framingham Public Library | Mind in the Making | $7,500 |
| Maynard | Maynard Public Library | Financial Literacy for All Ages | $6,300 |
| Melrose | Melrose Public Library | Science is Everywhere | $7,500 |
| Montague | Montague Public Libraries | Science is Everywhere | $7,500 |
| Needham | Needham Free Public Library | Science is Everywhere | $7,500 |
| North Andover | Merrimack College, McQuade Library | Innovative - STEMsmart Teachers | $7,860 |
| Northborough | Northborough Public Library | Mind in the Making | $10,000 |
| Oak Bluffs | Oak Bluffs Public Library | Serving People with Disabilities | $15,000 |
| Quincy | Thomas Crane Public Library | Preservation Assessment | $4,200 |
| Quincy | Thomas Crane Public Library | Citizenship Corners and Expanded English Language Services | $15,000 |
| Shrewsbury | Shrewsbury Public Library | Innovative - Good Day Memory Café | $10,000 |
| Somerset | Somerset Public Library | Mind in the Making | $10,000 |
| Somerville | Somerville Public Library | Customer Experience | $9,109 |
| South Hadley | South Hadley Public Library | Serving Tweens and Teens | $15,000 |
| Stoneham | Stoneham Public Library | Framework for Health Literacy | $7,500 |
| Sunderland | Sunderland Public Library | Customer Experience | $8,876 |
| Swampscott | Swampscott Public Library | Mind in the Making | $7,500 |
| Tisbury | Vineyard Haven Public Library | Mind in the Making | $10,000 |
| Tyngsborough | Tyngsborough Public Library | Preservation Assessment | $4,200 |
| West Tisbury | West Tisbury Public Library | Framework for Health Literacy | $7,500 |
| Westwood | Westwood Public Library | Reader's Advisory | $7,500 |
| Weymouth | Weymouth Public Libraries | Innovative - All Aboard, Greenbush!: One Train, One Book | $21,375 |
| Worcester | Worcester Public Library | Preservation Assessment | $4,200 |
Libraries use LSTA grants in a variety of ways, including implementing literacy programs that benefit all ages, increasing library access to underserved populations, providing advanced automation services, training staff, and preserving valuable historical documents.
In addition to the direct library grant program, the MBLC uses LSTA funds to support statewide programs and services including summer reading programs, databases, the Commonwealth eBook program, the Commonwealth Catalog (the new virtual catalog), and the Massachusetts Libraries website, which has information and resources for residents.
LSTA is administered on the federal level by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in the Commonwealth by the MBLC. More information about LSTA can be found on Board's website at www.mass.gov/mblc.
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.