NEWS RELEASE

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) submitted their formal comment letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to the June 25^th, 2026 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the Federal E-Rate Program. Commissioners urge the FCC to reject any proposal that would limit or eliminate this critical investment in connecting our schools and libraries to internet services.

On behalf of Libraries across the Commonwealth, the Commissioners wrote:

"More than 126 libraries, serving more than 2,600,000 residents, across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts applied for and received $1,560,570.31 in E-Rate funding last year alone. Each week, more than 46,000 patrons use free internet services in public libraries, which does not include the thousands more who use free library Wi-Fi on their personal devices. The E-Rate program is critical to building and maintaining the infrastructure patrons and librarians rely on to expand access to not only digital resources but also the foundational systems that keep libraries open, safe, and comfortable. Security systems, heating and cooling technology, cataloging, workforce development programming, and more, rely increasingly on high-speed broadband internet connections to and within our libraries."

They added:

"E-Rate funding has been fundamental in ensuring schools and libraries have affordable access to reliable and sustainable service. Continued support of the program is essential if we want to build on these advancements and meet the evolving educational needs of those we serve."

The FCC is accepting comments until Tuesday, October 13^th, 2026. More information including potential impacts in Massachusetts is on the MBLC website.