MBLC funds Library Summer Distance Learning

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2020
Celeste Bruno
Communications Director
1-800-952-7403 x208
celeste.bruno@state.ma.us

During a typical summer more than 450,000 children, teens, and adults participate in summer library programs across the Commonwealth. Due to the pandemic, programming is largely virtual this summer and funding from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is helping many libraries make the switch. The MBLC is using federal funding to give libraries access to an online program called Beanstack which allows users to register, track progress, earn badges, write book reviews and stay connected during the summer months, but also year round.

“Library summer programs help kids and teens avoid summer learning loss,” said Lyndsay Forbes, Project Manager & Grants Specialist at the MBLC. “With school closures, we knew that summer library programs would be key to closing gaps in learning and with Beanstack and other online library programming, everyone can keep learning over the summer months.”

Research shows that children who read four or more books over the summer fare better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who read one book or fewer [1]. Summer reading has also been proven to help prevent the summer learning loss, which “accounts for as much as 85% of the reading achievement gap between lower income students and their middle- and upper-income peers”[2].

On average, 350 libraries offer statewide summer reading. For 2020, a total of 126 received funding from the MBLC to offer the online program. Fifty-six received a Summer Software grant and when IMLS Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding became available, seventy-three more were added. A list of grant recipients is below.

Summer Software funded through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) using Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds:
Totals $70,000

Adams Free Library	Adams
Amesbury Public Library	Amesbury
Ashland Public Library	Ashland
Athol Public Library	Athol
Berkley Public Library	Berkley
Beverly Public Library	Beverly
Blackstone Public Library	Blackstone
Brewster Ladies' Library	Brewster
Burlington Public Library	Burlington
Canton Public Library	Canton
Chilmark Public Library	Chilmark
Clapp Memorial Library	Belchertown
Conant Public Library	Sterling
Concord Free Public Library	Concord
Dighton Public Library	Dighton
Dover Town Library	Dover
Fitchburg Public Library	Fitchburg
Flint Memorial Library	North Reading
Georgetown Peabody Library	Georgetown
Granby Free Public Library	Granby
Great Barrington Libraries	Great Barrington
Hubbard Memorial Library	Ludlow
Hubbardston Public Library	Hubbarsdton
Langley-Adams Library	Groveland
Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library	Manchester-by-the-Sea
Marlborough Public Library	Marlborough
Mashpee Public Library	Mashpee
Maynard Public Library	Maynard
Middleborough Public Library	Middleborough
Millbury Public Library	Millbury
Morrill Memorial Library	Norwood
Needham Free Public Library	Needham
Nevins Library	Methuen
Norfolk Public Library	Norfolk
Northborough Free Library	Northborough
Orange Public Libraries	Orange
Parker Memorial Library	Dracut
Pembroke Public Library	Pembroke
Public Library of Brookline	Brookline
Richard Salter Storrs Library	Longmeadow
Richards Memorial Library	Paxton
Rowley Public Library	Rowley
Seekonk Public Library	Seekonk
Southwick Public Library	Southwick
Stevens Memorial Library	Asburnham
Sutton Free Public Library	Sutton
Taft Public Library	Mendon
Topsfield Town Library	Topsfield
Townsend Public Library	Townsend
Ventress Memorial Library	Marshfield
Wayland Free Public Library	Wayland
Westfield Athenaeum	Westfield
Westwood Public Library	Westwood
Whitinsville Social Library	Northbridge
Winchester Public Library	Winchester
Woburn Public Library	Woburn

Summer Software funded through IMLS CARES Act funds:
Totals: $47,500

Acton Memorial Library	Acton
Acushnet Public LIbrary	Acushnet
Beaman Memorial Public Library	West Boylston
Belmont Public Library	Belmont
Berkshire Athenaeum	Pittsfield
Boylston Public Library	Boylston
Bridgewater Public Library	Bridgewater
Carver Public Library	Carver
Charlton Public Library	Charlton
Cotuit Library	Barnstable
Dennis Public Library	Dennis
Dickinson Memorial Library	Northfield
Emily Williston Memorial Library	Easthampton
Fall River Public Library	Fall River
Forbush Memorial Library	Westminster
Framingham Public Library	Framingham
G.A.R. Memorial Library	West Newbury
Gale Free Library	Holden
Gleason Public Library	Carlisle
Greenfield Public Library	Greenfield
Hanson Public Library	Hanson
Hazen Memorial Library	Shirley
Hingham Public Library	Hingham
Holbrook Public Library	Holbrook
Holmes Public Library	Halifax
Holyoke Public Library	Holyoke
John Curtis Free Library	Hanover
Jones Library	Amherst
Joshua Hyde Library	Sturbridge
Lee Library Association	Lee
Lynn Public Library	Lynn
Malden Public Library	Malden
Medway Public Library	Medway
Milford Town Library	Milford
Millicent Library	Fairhaven
Monson Free Library and Reading Room Association	Monson
Morse Institute Library	Natick
Nantucket Atheneum	Nantucket
Newbury Town Library	Newbury
North Adams Public Library	North Adams
Oak Bluffs Public Library	Oak Bluffs
Paul Pratt Memorial Library	Cohasset
Peabody Institute Library of Danvers	Danvers
Plymouth Public Library	Plymouth
Plympton Public Library	Plympton
Princeton Public Library	Princeton
Randall Library	Stow
Raynham Public Library	Raynham
Robertson Memorial Library	Leyden
Sandwich Free Public Library	Sandwich
Sargent Memorial Library	Boxborough
Scituate Town Library	Scituate
Sherborn Library	Falmouth
Sherborn Library	Sherborn
Simon Fairfield Public Library	Douglas
Somerset Public Library	Somerset
Southborough Library	Southborough
Stevens Memorial Library	North Andover
Stockbridge Library	Stockbridge
Stoneham Public Library	Stoneham
Sunderland Public Library	Sunderland
Taunton Public Library	Taunton
Thayer Memorial Library	Lancaster
Truro Public Library	Truro
Waltham Public Library	Waltham
Wellfleet Public Library	Wellfleet
West Stockbridge Library	West Stockbridge
West Tisbury Free Public Library	West Tisbury
Weymouth Public Libraries	Weymouth
Whelden Memorial Library	Barnstable
Winthrop Public Library	Winthrop
Woods Memorial Library	Barre
Yarmouth Town Libraries	Yarmouth

The MBLC also awarded $20,000 in Summer Learning grants funded by IMLS using LSTA funds to the following communities. These grants support expanding the concept of summer learning in libraries beyond reading. Grant recipients are listed below.

Library	Municipality	Grant Amount
Cambridge Public Library	Cambridge	$1,245
Forbes Library	Northampton	$2,000
Hubbard Memorial Library	Ludlow	$1,800
Jones Library	Amherst	$1,950
Lawrence Public Library	Lawrence	$1,400
Mattapoisett Free Public Library	Mattapoisett	$1,000
Needham Free Public Library	Needham	$1,240
Pollard Memorial Library	Lowell	$1,125
Porter Memorial Library	Blandford	1960
Randall Library	Stow	1700
Scituate Town Library	Scituate	1070
Sharon Public Library	Sharon	1510
Waltham Public Library	Waltham	2000

Summer Software grants and Summer Learning grants are made possible through Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) LSTA and CARES Act funding as administered by the MBLC. Statewide Summer Library Programs are made possible by IMLS, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Boston Bruins, the Massachusetts Library System, and local libraries.

[1] Summer Reading and the Ethnic Achievement Gap, Jimmy Kim, Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 2004.

[2] Why Summer Matters in the Rich/Poor Achievement Gap, Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Frazen, August 2009.

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.

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