News Releases 2019
December 30, 2019 - New Library Research Databases
Residents across the Commonwealth now have access to five new research databases with topics ranging from genealogy and career transitions to science. These new databases are an addition to over 20 extensive statewide research databases that include the Boston Globe back to 1980, The New York Times, Gale Health and Wel...
READ MOREDecember 30, 2019 - 328 State Aid Certified So Far
At its December 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. To date, 328 communities have been certified and more than $4.5 million has been awarded in state aid funding. This is rou...
READ MOREDecember 18, 2019 - LEA Content Grant Amounts Increased
At their December board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved $500,000 of LEA Content Grants to the eight automated resource sharing networks that contribute to the Library eBooks and Audiobooks (LEA) program. This is a $100,000 increase to the grants approved at the November 7, 2019...
READ MORENovember 22, 2019 - New Funding to Support Sharing eContent
At its November 7 board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Commissioners (MBLC) approved the Library eBooks and Audiobooks (LEA) Content Grant round which provides participating library networks with $400,000 in additional funds to purchase shareable eContent. These funds directly support the continually growing deman...
READ MORENovember 20, 2019 - Former MBLC Chair Frank Murphy Passes Away
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is mourning the loss of its former Chair Francis R. (Frank) Murphy. “Frank’s leadership shepherded the MBLC through some challenging years. He will be remembered by us all as a person of integrity, vision, and kindness,” said current Board Chair Roland ...
READ MORENovember 20, 2019 - Grafton Breaks Ground on Library Project
On November 6, 2019, the town of Grafton broke ground on the addition and renovation of their public library. The $16.6 million project is funded in part by a $7.4 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) grant....
READ MORENovember 13, 2019 - Medford Breaks Ground on New Library Project
On Tuesday, October 29, 2019, residents and officials joined together for the groundbreaking of the Medford Public Library. The $34 million project is funded in part by a $12.5 million grant from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Project (MPLCP)....
READ MORENovember 12, 2019 - Hancock among the 183 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 2020 State Aid awards totaling $2,271,072 to 183 municipalities that have met State Aid to Public Libraries Program requirements. For the first time since 1975,...
READ MORENovember 12, 2019 - New LSTA Grant Round Opens
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce the FY2021 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 for local residents. “Local funding can some...
READ MORENovember 04, 2019 - Cambridge Celebrates its New Branch Library
On Saturday, October 26, 2019, the Valente Branch of the Cambridge Public Library was celebrated as part of the larger opening of the King Open Community Complex in East Cambridge. The new Valente Branch is the first to be built in Cambridge since the Boudreau Branch was opened in 1989. The library project is funded in...
READ MORENovember 01, 2019 - Progress on Construction Bond and Cap
Efforts by Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) staff, commissioners and members of the library community to increase the bond authorization for the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) after its FY2020 request fell short, are paying off. Late last week the MBLC was notified th...
READ MOREOctober 31, 2019 - Hadley Breaks Ground on New Library
On October 16, 2019, residents and officials gathered to break ground on the new Hadley Public Library. The $8.2 million project is funded in part by a $3.9 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP)....
READ MORESeptember 18, 2019 - MBLC Adopts the FY2021 Legislative Agenda
At its September 3, 2019 Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) unanimously approved the FY 2021 Legislative Agenda. The agenda builds on the FY2020 increases that occurred in six of the lines overseen by the MBLC and requests a 21.2% increase for State Aid to Public Libraries (700...
READ MOREAugust 23, 2019 - Monterey Celebrates its New Library
On August 17, 2019 Monterey residents gathered with local and state officials to dedicate the new Monterey Library, a project that was supported by a $1.85 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ (MBLC) public library construction program. “The MBLC has been with us every step o...
READ MOREAugust 22, 2019 - Norwell Breaks Ground on New Library
On August 21, 2019, residents and officials gathered to break ground on the new Norwell Public Library. The $15.4 million dollar project is being funded in part by a $6,360,764 grant through the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC)....
READ MOREAugust 20, 2019 - MBLC Mourns the Loss of Gregor Trinkaus-Randall
The MBLC is mourning the loss of former Preservation Specialist Gregor Trinkaus-Randall, who worked at the Board for over 30 years and became nationally and internationally recognized for his work in preservation and disaster preparedness. MBLC Chairman Roland Ochsenbien said, “Gregor’s loss is felt by all ...
READ MOREAugust 13, 2019 - Bruins Award Summer Reading Prizes
As part of the tenth anniversary of the Boston Bruins partnership with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Bruins awarded special prizes to participants in the statewide summer library program....
READ MOREAugust 12, 2019 - Library Funding Exceeds Legislative Ask
On Wednesday, July 31, 2019, Governor Charlie Baker signed the FY2020 Massachusetts state budget which includes increases to six of the line items overseen by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), and level funding for the Massachusetts Center for the Book (7000-9508). The Legislative Conference Comm...
READ MOREJuly 22, 2019 - The MBLC Welcomes Commissioner Stacy DeBole
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to welcome Stacy DeBole of Swampscott, who has been appointed by Governor Charles D. Baker to serve on the nine-member board....
READ MOREJuly 11, 2019 - Federal Grants Help Libraries Serve Community
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) awarded $318,224 in 29 grants to public and school libraries across the Commonwealth through the Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) at their July 11, 2019 board meeting. LSTA grants are funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services....
READ MOREJuly 11, 2019 - MBLC Awards more than $13 million for Library Construction
At its July 11, 2019 board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) awarded provisional construction grants to the Reuben Hoar Library in Littleton in the amount of $5,844,747 and to the Sharon Public Library in the amount of $7,485,943 through its Massachusetts Public Library Construction Progr...
READ MOREJuly 02, 2019 - Construction Bond and Annual Cap Fall Short
The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) is set to receive $100 million in a new bond bill (H3687), falling short of the $250 million requested by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) to support the program. The MBLC also requested that the annual capital budget, the amount of fu...
READ MOREJuly 01, 2019 - New Library is Celebrated in Leicester
On Sunday, June 23, 2019 Leicester residents and local officials celebrated the opening of its newly restored and renovated public library. The $8.9 million project was funded in part through a $4.2 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP)....
READ MOREJune 07, 2019 - Summer Reading Fun with the Boston Bruins
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is teaming up with the Boston Bruins for the annual “When You Read, You Score!” summer library program. This summer marks the tenth anniversary of the partnership that encourages children and teens to read over the summer months in order to retain and ...
READ MOREJune 06, 2019 - Senate Increases Library Funding in its Budget
On May 23, 2019, the Massachusetts State Senate passed its version of the FY2020 budget. Six of the seven line items overseen by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) received the amount requested in the FY2020 Legislative Agenda. This budget amounts to a significant increase for libraries and would h...
READ MOREMay 01, 2019 - Massachusetts House Approves Budget with Increases for Libraries
On Thursday, April 23, the Massachusetts House of Representatives approved $42.7 billion in spending for FY2020. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) received a total increase of $2,195,546 in its budget over FY2019, for a total funding amount of $29,424,435. Three of the Board’s line items had...
READ MOREApril 26, 2019 - Groundbreaking Celebration in Weymouth
On March 27, 2019 residents of Weymouth gathered with local and state officials to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Tufts Library. “It’s clear that Weymouth cares about education for the entire community,” said Les Ball, Commissioner from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC)....
READ MOREApril 10, 2019 - Erving Breaks Ground on New Library Project
On Friday, March 29, a large crowd gathered at the future site of the Erving Public Library to celebrate its groundbreaking. The $4,933,007 project is funded in part by a $2,720,146 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) grant....
READ MOREApril 08, 2019 - Grafton Receives Partial Construction Award
Grafton Public Library was awarded a partial Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) provisional grant totaling $460,000 at the April 4, 2019 meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). ...
READ MOREApril 01, 2019 - MBLC and JFK Library Team up to go Nationwide with Summer Partnership
"We go into space because whatever mankind must undertake, free men must fully share...I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth." --President John F. Kennedy, "Special Message to the Congre...
READ MOREMarch 28, 2019 - Libraries Go Above and Beyond for the PJ Drive
Massachusetts libraries teamed up with the Boston Bruins and collected pajamas during February and March as part of the annual Boston Bruins PJ Drive. 2019 marked the 12th year of the drive that benefits the Department of Children and Families Wonderfund and Cradles to Crayons....
READ MOREMarch 25, 2019 - Woburn Opens Spectacular New Library
On Saturday, March 16, 2019 the renovated and expanded Woburn Public Library opened to a crowd of nearly 3,000 residents. “This is the largest gathering I’ve ever seen at an opening,” said Lauren Stara, Library Building Consultant at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) which awarde...
READ MOREMarch 12, 2019 - The MBLC Welcomes Philip Madell
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to welcome Philip H. Madell of Topsfield, who has been appointed by Governor Baker to serve on the nine-member board. The MBLC is responsible for library services across the Commonwealth including the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, f...
READ MOREMarch 04, 2019 - MBLC Trustee Institute coming in April
Among the many roles and responsibilities of public library trustees, advocacy continues to be one of the most challenging. Knowing how, what and where to advocate for your library is a skill that all trustees need to master. To help trustees build their advocacy skills the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners ...
READ MOREFebruary 19, 2019 - Governor Reappoints Commissioner Mary Ann Cluggish to Five Year Term
Commissioner and former board Chair Mary Ann Cluggish has been reappointed by Governor Charlie Baker to a five-year term on the nine-member Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC)....
READ MOREFebruary 07, 2019 - Millville Loses State Aid Certification
At its February board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) denied the town of Millville a waiver of the FY2019 Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR). The MAR is funding from the municipality to support the public library as required in statute....
READ MOREJanuary 31, 2019 - Libraries Help Collect Pajamas for Children in Need
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) continues its partnership with the Boston Bruins for the 12th Annual PJ Drive to benefit DCF Wonderfund and Cradles to Crayons. The Boston Bruins PJ Drive runs from February 1, 2019 through March 15, 2019. Libraries across the Commonwealth will be collecting new p...
READ MOREJanuary 28, 2019 - Support for Summer Grants Awarded
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the first Support for Summer grants totaling $50,000 to 54 public libraries. Research shows that summer learning helps close the achievement gap between lower-income students and their middle-and upper-income peers and is a...
READ MOREJanuary 24, 2019 - Governor Baker Announces FY2020 Budget Recommendation
On January 23, 2019, Governor Baker released his budget proposal for FY2020. It includes a 3% increase for the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners administrative line (7000-9101), a net 1% increase in funding for State Aid to Public Libraries (7000-9501), level funding for the Massachusetts Center ...
READ MOREJanuary 04, 2019 - 327 Receive State Aid Awards; 17 Request Waivers
At its January Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners certified twenty-two additional municipalities meeting all FY2019 requirements for the State Aid to Public Libraries Program. In total, 327 libraries have met all state aid requirements and have been awarded $4,247,669.12 in state fund...
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