NEWS RELEASE

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) elected new officers to serve for FY2025 at its Board Meeting on July 11, 2024.

“It has been a great pleasure to serve as Chair this year,” said Debby Conrad who served two terms as MBLC Chair. “I valued the opportunity to work with such a committed group of Board members and staff. Commissioners priortized advocacy for library related legislation and funding, in the process strengthening bonds with our partners such as the Massachusetts Library Association. We have many challenges and opportunities facing us this coming fiscal year. I look forward to partnering with my fellow Commissioners and our new Director as we work to ensure that Massachusetts provides the best library services in the country.”

The Board elected Commissioner Vicky Biancolo to serve as Chair. Appointed by Governor Charles Baker in 2020, Ms. Biancolo is the Director of Library Services at Worcester Academy. Library leadership roles she has held include executive board member of the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System, executive board member of the Massachusetts School Library Association, and member of the transition team and founding executive board of the Massachusetts Library System. Commissioner Biancolo is also active in the Central Massachusetts Library Advocates and the Western Massachusetts Library Advocates.

Commissioner Tim Cherubini was elected to serve as Vice Chair. Appointed by Governor Maura Healey in 2024, Mr. Cherubini has over three decades of experience in libraries and non-profits including work in academic libraries, regional and national library networks and consortia, as well as library centered associations and coalitions. He formerly served on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Center for the Book. He also served as Executive Director of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), an independent organization of the top library directors, officers and commissioners across the United States tasked with statewide library development and initiatives. He is currently MBLC liaison to the Statewide Advisory Council on Libraries.

Commissioner Karen Traub was elected to serve as Secretary for a second term. She was appointed to the Board by Governor Charles Baker in 2021. Throughout her career, Commissioner Traub has worked to expand library accessibility, locally advocating to increase library staff, hours and budget, and served on the committee that made the Shutesbury Public Library ADA accessible. She has been a  library trustee in both Wendell and Shutesbury. Ms. Traub is currently MBLC liaison to the Massachusetts Center for the Book, the Massachusetts Friends of Libraries, and the Massachusetts Library Trustee Association and serves on the MBLC Public Relations Advisory Committee. She also participates in meetings of the Western Massachusetts Library Advocates.

The elected positions of Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary form the Executive Committee of the MBLC. The Executive Committee is elected every July by the board for a term of one year. Commissioners can serve for two successive one-year terms in any office and after one year off the committee are eligible for election again.

Established in 1890, the MBLC was the first state library commission in the United States. The nine-member volunteer Commission is appointed by the Governor. The MBLC supports statewide programming and innovation in libraries to ensure equal access to library services for every resident in the Commonwealth.