2018 News Releases

December 18, 2018 - Stoughton Celebrates New Library

On Saturday December 15, 2018 the new Stoughton Public Library opened to raves from residents. Old and young commented on how welcoming the new space is with one resident saying, “Stoughton deserves this.”  Chair of the Board of Selectman Bob O’Regan called the new library the “soul of the ...

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November 27, 2018 - Governor Appoints Gina Perille to MBLC

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to welcome Gina Perille of Boston, who has been appointed by Governor Charles D. Baker to serve on the nine-member board....

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November 19, 2018 - MBLC Seeking New Construction Bond

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is seeking a new $250 million bond authorization to continue the successful Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). The new bond will fund the 18 projects that are currently on the MPLCP waitlist, a Planning and Design Grant Round and a new Constructio...

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November 08, 2018 - MBLC Announces New LSTA Grants

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce the FY 2020 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant round. The MBLC uses federal LSTA funding to provide direct grants to libraries that allow them to offer innovative services to local residents....

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November 06, 2018 - 112 Libraries Certified in First Round State Aid

At its November Board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved the disbursement of the first round of FY 2019 State Aid awards totaling $1,559,545.88 to 112 municipalities that have met State Aid to Public Libraries Program requirements. The awards are roughly half of the total state ai...

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October 23, 2018 - East Forest Park Breaks Ground on New Library

The rainy weather did not dampen the spirits of those gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the East Forest Park Branch of the Springfield City Library on October 15, 2018. The project is funded in part by a $4.9m grant from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Project (MPLCP) through the Massachusetts B...

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October 23, 2018 - Monterey Celebrates Library Groundbreaking

On Saturday, October 6th, residents gathered with local and state representatives to celebrate the ground breaking of the new library in Monterey. The project is funded in part by a $1,855,675 grant from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Project (MPLCP) through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissione...

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October 21, 2018 - The MBLC Welcomes Les Ball

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is excited to welcome Leslie D. Ball of Scituate, who has been appointed by Governor Charles D. Baker to serve on the nine-member board. The MBLC is responsible for library services across the Commonwealth including the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Pr...

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October 11, 2018 - MBLC Adopts FY2020 Legislative Agenda

At its October Board Meeting the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) adopted the FY2020 Legislative Agenda. Funding to the MBLC impacts library services across the Commonwealth. “We appreciate the funding we received last year, but libraries need sustained funding in order to meet the needs of the...

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October 02, 2018 - Webster Dedicates New Library

On September 29, 2018 local and state officials joined Webster residents to celebrate the dedication of the Gladys E. Kelly Public Library.  This $11.1 million project is part of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioner’s (MBLC) Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). Webster received a grant fro...

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October 01, 2018 - Bruins Summer Reading Prizes Awarded

With the start of hockey season right around the corner, young readers across the Commonwealth received Boston Bruins prizes based on their participation in the statewide summer reading programs at public libraries....

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August 10, 2018 - Governor Signs FY2019 Budget wih Increased Library Funding

Governor Charlie Baker has signed the FY2019 budget after the Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate passed the Conference Committee version. Included are increases to six of the line items that go directly to funding library services and resources....

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August 03, 2018 - Governor Appoints Abraham

Deborah V.H. Abraham of Needham has been appointed by Governor Charles D. Baker to serve on the nine-member Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The MBLC is responsible for library services across the Commonwealth including the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, federal Library Services ...

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August 01, 2018 - North Dartmouth Breaks Ground

On July 17, 2018 local and state officials gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new North Dartmouth Public Library. The $11.8 million project is made possible in part through a $5.3 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioner’s (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Pro...

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July 17, 2018 - Bruins Players Kick Off Summer Reading in Waltham

On June 27, 2018 prospective Boston Bruins players kicked off the statewide summer library program at Waltham Public Library. Players Philip Beaulieu, Jack Becker, Mitchell Fossier, Daniel Vladar, Kyle Keyser, Lucas Ekestahl-Jonsson, Jakub Lauko, and Curtis Hall joined children and teens from Waltham and participated i...

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July 12, 2018 - MBLC’s Federal Grants Impact Local Communities

At its July 12, 2018 Board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) awarded $451,058 in 40 grants to public and school libraries across the Commonwealth under the Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) which is funded through the Institute of Museum and Library Services.   &#82...

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July 12, 2018 - MBLC Awards $28.7m in Construction Grants

At their July 12, 2018 board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners awarded provisional construction grants to the Greenfield Public Library in the amount of $9,378,183, the Hingham Public Library in the amount of $9,151,270, and the Marlborough Public Library in the amount of $10,186,626. The librar...

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July 12, 2018 - MBLC Elects Officers

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) elected new officers to serve for FY2019 at its Board Meeting on July 12, 2018....

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July 06, 2018 - Rosemary Waltos Retires

After nearly a decade at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), Construction Consultant Rosemary Waltos is retiring. As the head of the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP), she assisted many communities in building or renovating public libraries. “New libraries are game-cha...

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July 05, 2018 - MBLC Preservation Specialist Gregor Trinkaus-Randall Announces his Retirement

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ Preservation Specialist Gregor Trinkaus-Randall is retiring after over 30 years of work for Massachusetts libraries and cultural institutions. Mr. Trinkaus-Randall came to the Board in 1988 and became nationally and internationally recognized for his work in preservat...

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June 22, 2018 - Governor and Lt. Governor Encourage Massachusetts to Read this Summer

Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karen Polito have joined a growing number of elected officials, local celebrities and readings fans to declare their summer-reads as part of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ (MBLC) What’s your 4? campaign. The MBLC started the annual campaign in 2016 ...

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June 11, 2018 - Networks Pilot Successful eBook Program

People have long been accustomed to getting print books from libraries across the Commonwealth. This kind of reciprocal borrowing may soon be possible with eBooks and eAudiobooks as well. Three automated library resource sharing networks representing over 100 public libraries: the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN), SAI...

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June 08, 2018 - Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Releases “An Evolving Ecosystem” Report

“Massachusetts Public Libraries: An Evolving Ecosystem” provides a unique, first of its kind look at how and why residents use public libraries across the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) commissioned this study in order to understand cooperative borrowing and use patter...

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June 05, 2018 - Massachusetts Libraries Receive Increase in Final Senate Budget

The Massachusetts State Senate passed its final version of the FY2019 budget and included increases to six of the line items that go directly to funding library services and resources....

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May 25, 2018 - Massachusetts Libraries and the Boston Bruins Team Up for Summer Fun

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) are again teaming up with the Boston Bruins for the annual “When You Read, You Score!” summer library program. The program encourages children and teens to read over the summer months in order to retain academic progress gained over the previous school...

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May 11, 2018 - Senate Funds Five Line Items to the Amount Requested

On Thursday, May 10, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released their FY2019 budget. Five of the seven budget line items overseen by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) received the funding request by the Board in the FY2019 Legislative Agenda. The Massachusetts Center for the Book (7000-9508) ...

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April 26, 2018 - Eastham Public Library Receives Library Building Award

The Eastham Public Library has been selected as one of six recipients of the 2018 American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American Library Association (ALA) Library Building Award for the design of their new building. Eastham is the third Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) grant recipient to w...

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April 12, 2018 - Massachusetts Libraries are Top Collectors for PJ Drive

Massachusetts libraries collected donated pajamas throughout February and March as part of the annual Boston Bruins PJ Drive. 2018 marked the 11th year of the drive, and the second year of participation by the Department of Children and Families Wonderfund. The drive also benefited Cradles to Crayons who have been a pa...

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April 12, 2018 - Requested Funding Given to Some Library Line Items

On Wednesday, April 11, the House Committee on Ways and Means released their $40.99 billion FY2019 budget, proposing a 3.1% increase in state spending. Three of the budget line items overseen by the MBLC were funded at the amount requested in the FY2019 legislative agenda. Two of the budget lines received a 1% increase...

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February 05, 2018 - State Aid Awarded to 344 Libraries

At its February Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved the final group of libraries that met all requirements for the State Aid to Public Libraries program. FY2018 State Aid program grants total more than $9 million and were awarded to all of the 344 public libraries that applie...

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February 05, 2018 - Robert Favini to Head up MBLC's LSTA and Trustee Programs

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce Robert Favini as the new Head of Public Library Advisory and Development. He will work with library trustees and friends, and will head up the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) grants and programs. “Rob’s diverse experience ...

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February 01, 2018 - Erving and Monterey Awarded Construction Grants

At their February 1, 2018 board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners awarded provisional construction grant awards to the Erving Public Library in the amount of $2,720,146, and the Monterey Library in the amount of $1,855,675. Both libraries were placed on the construction waiting list during the J...

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January 31, 2018 - Libraries support the Annual Bruins PJ Drive

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is once again teaming up with the Boston Bruins for the 11th Annual PJ Drive to benefit DCF Wonderfund and Cradles to Crayons. The Boston Bruins PJ Drive runs from February 1 through March 15, 2018. Libraries across the Commonwealth will be collecting new pairs of pajama...

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January 24, 2018 - Governor Baker Releases Budget Proposal

Today Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker released his $40.9 billion FY2019 budget, proposing a 2.6% increase in state spending. Three of the seven budget line items overseen by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) received a 1% increase, one received an increase slightly less than 1% and the rest w...

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News 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