NEWS RELEASE

At its December Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved 154 municipalities that met all the requirements for certification in the FY2025 State Aid to Public Libraries Program.  These libraries join the 136 libraries that were approved in November. Approximately $8 million in State Aid funds will be awarded to second round libraries.     

Municipalities rely on State Aid Awards to keep libraries open, purchase materials, upgrade technology, and more.   The reciprocity that comes with library certification in the State Aid program is often what library users value most. It allows people to use any State Aid certified library in the Commonwealth and gives them access to more than 59 million items available through the shared library system.  State Aid to Public Libraries (7000-9501) is a priority in the FY2026 Legislative Agenda. 

At the January 2025 meeting, Commissioners will consider the remainder of libraries meeting all requirements and will review waivers for municipalities that do not meet the Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR) . Certified libraries in the State Aid program receive half of their grant awards following the Commonwealth’s disbursement schedule, with the remaining amount released toward the end of the grant cycle in late spring.