NEWS RELEASE

On Wednesday, January 27, Governor Charlie Baker released his proposal for the FY2022 budget. The budget includes level funding for library lines that received a recent increase in funding from the final FY21 budget.

State Aid for Public Libraries (7000-9501) received $12,000,000. This line is the focus of the legislative agenda again this year. State Aid to Public Libraries is an annual, voluntary program administered by the MBLC that distributes local aid to municipalities. The funds received through State Aid can be used for any purpose that supports the library.

Library Technology and Resource Sharing (7000-9506) received $4,386,770 in funding. This line helps fund the nine automated resource sharing networks across the state as well as statewide databases. The networks have worked to provide important services for libraries in response to the pandemic. Read the stories about these efforts on the FY22 Affiliate Sheets.

State Aid to Regional Libraries (7000-9401), received $12,516,000. This line funds two organizations, the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) and the Library for the Commonwealth (LFC) at Boston Public Library. Both organizations have seen an increase in usage during the pandemic. BPL has had an 80% increase in eCard sign ups from Massachusetts residents, and MLS has had a 326% increase in attendance at their live learning opportunities for librarians, including trainings and support.

The Massachusetts Center for the Book received $225,000. The Center operates as an affiliate of the Library of Congress (LOC), and represents the Commonwealth in several high-profile national initiatives, providing links for Massachusetts libraries to the programs and resources of LOC. FY21 marked the Center’s first increase in funding since FY2016 and the legislative request for FY22 is another increase to $300,000.

The Worcester Talking Book Library (7000-9402), and the Perkins Library (7000-9406) both received $482,246 and $2,745,774 respectively. Both Perkins and Worcester have been able to continue providing important resources for those who are visually impaired during the pandemic.

The budget also includes a slight increase to $1,585,251 for the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners administrative line (7000-9101).

The House Committee on Ways and Means will now develop their own budget to be debated by House members in April. Following passage of the House version of the budget, the Senate will vote on their version in May. A conference committee will reconcile any differences between the two versions, and the FY2022 budget will be sent to the Governor to be put into place by July 1, 2021.