News Releases

March 15, 2024 - Bruins All-Star David Pastrnak is 2024 Summer Library Player

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce that Boston Bruins right-winger David Pastrnak is the featured player for the 2024 Statewide Summer Library Program, “When You Read, You Score!”  This summer Pastrnak will be featured on the annual READ poster available at p...

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March 12, 2024 - Timothy Cherubini Appointed Library Commissioner by Governor Healey

Timothy Cherubini of Williamstown has been appointed by Governor Maura Healey to serve on the nine-member Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). Mr. Cherubini brings over 3 decades of experience in libraries and non-profits to the MBLC, including work in academic libraries, regional and national library n...

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March 12, 2024 - Governor Healey includes Library Construction in Bond Bill

On March 1, Governor Maura Healey filed the Mass Leads Act, which provides $3.5 billion in critical investments, including the Commonwealth's public libraries. The bill supports the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners' (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) with a proposed $150 millio...

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February 28, 2024 - Governor Maura Healey Appoints Kate Chang as Library Commissioner

Kate Chang of Somerville has been appointed by Governor Maura Healey to serve as Commissioner on the nine-member board of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). Ms. Chang is the Vice President of Community and Government Relations at Pine Street Inn in Boston. ...

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February 06, 2024 - 347 Libraries Certified for State Aid Awards

At its January Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) certified 65 additional municipalities meeting all FY2024 requirements for the State Aid to Public Libraries Program.  In total, 343 libraries have met all state aid requirements, 4 libraries requested waivers, and toge...

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January 29, 2024 - Libraries Level Funded

On Wednesday, January 24, 2024, Governor Maura Healey released her $56 billion proposal for the FY2025 budget with investments in education, childcare, housing and climate resiliency. Except for a slight increase to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ (MBLC) agency line the proposed budget level fun...

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January 23, 2024 - Debby Conrad Reappointed MBLC Commissioner

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is delighted to announce that Commissioner Debby Conrad has been reappointed by Governor Maura Healey to serve on the nine-member board. Commissioner Conrad was first appointed to the MBLC in 2020 by Governor Charles Baker and has served as chair of the board sinc...

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January 23, 2024 - MBLC Names Members of the Director’s Search Committee

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) recently announced the members of the Director’s Search Committee which will assist with the hiring of the next MBLC director. The committee of experienced library professionals from across the Commonwealth is chaired by MBLC Commissioner Vicky Biancolo. The...

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January 08, 2024 - MBLC Welcomes New Staff

Several key staff members at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) retired at the end of 2023 after decades of service and dedication to the Massachusetts library community.  The MBLC is delighted to introduce 5 new staff members that will bring their energy and expertise to our team....

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December 14, 2023 - Second Round of FY2024 State Aid Awards Approved by Board

At its December Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved 147 municipalities that met all requirements for certification in the FY2024 State Aid to Public Libraries Program.  These libraries join the 131 libraries that were approved in November. State Aid program grants for th...

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December 13, 2023 - 85% of Massachusetts Public Libraries Are Fine Free

Many of the Commonwealth’s public libraries have joined the growing national trend to eliminate fines on overdue materials. Of the 367 public libraries in Massachusetts, 313, or 85%, are fine free (View map). “The mission of libraries is to provide equitable access to services,” said James Lonergan, D...

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November 21, 2023 - Board Approves First Round of FY2024 State Aid Grants

At its November Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved 131 municipalities that met all requirements for certification in the FY2024 State Aid to Public Libraries Program. State Aid program grants for this initial round total $2.8 million.  Libraries use state aid funding to...

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November 14, 2023 - George Comeau Reappointed MBLC Commissioner

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce that Commissioner George T. Comeau, Esq. of Canton has been reappointed to the nine-member board by Governor Maura Healey.  Commissioner Comeau was previously reappointed to the MBLC by Governor Charles D. Baker in 2021, after being&#16...

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October 23, 2023 - MBLC Doubles eBook Funding

At its October board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) doubled its funding to support Library eBook and Audiobook program (LEA) by approving $1 million in grants to Automated Networks for purchase of eContent for LEA. LEA gives Massachusetts residents access to eBooks, audiobooks, and mor...

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October 17, 2023 - Key MBLC Staff Retire

Several staff members at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) are set to retire in October and November. They form part of the fabric of the library community and have established programs and services that libraries rely on and that residents benefit from and enjoy....

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October 05, 2023 - Gloucester Celebrates Library Groundbreaking

Local and state officials recently joined Gloucester residents to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Sawyer Free Library. Commissioner Mary Ann Cluggish from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) congratulated the community on this major accomplishment, “I personally believe that the buildi...

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October 02, 2023 - Marlborough Public Library Re-Opens

After two years of construction, Marlborough Public Library celebrated its grand re-opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 2. Excited community members, state representatives and local officials gathered to be among the first to see the new addition and renovation of the historic Carnegie library building, w...

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September 22, 2023 - Sharon Celebrates New Library Construction with Groundbreaking

On September 22, Sharon residents were joined by state and local officials at 1 School Street to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Sharon Public Library’s construction project.  The newly constructed library will be located about a quarter mile from the current library, and more than double the square ...

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September 21, 2023 - Massachusetts Libraries Celebrate the Freedom to Read with Statewide Read-Ins

Since 1982, Banned Books Week has been an annual fall event that highlights the value of free and open access to information by bringing together librarians, educators, authors, readers and the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to read.  Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms ...

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September 11, 2023 - Barbara Barros Appointed MBLC Commissioner by Governor Maura Healey

Boston native Barbara Barros has been appointed by Governor Maura Healey to serve as Commissioner for the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.  The nine-member board of the MBLC was established in 1890 and is responsible for developing, coordinating, and improving library services across the Commonwealth ...

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September 08, 2023 - 5 Massachusetts Libraries Selected for National Training Initiative Focused on Equity

Chicopee Public Library, Marlborough Public Library, Milford Town Library, Berkshire Athenaeum (Pittsfield), and Yarmouth Town Libraries will participate in the project Building Equity-Based Summers (BEBS), a national initiative focused on assisting public library staff in gaining the skills necessary to effective...

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August 21, 2023 - Libraries get a big boost in FY2024 State Budget

Libraries fared well in the $55.98 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2024 recently signed by Governor Maura Healey. Library funding totaled $47,348,386, an increase of nearly 16% over FY2023. All but two of the funding requests in the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) legislative agenda were met. F...

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July 26, 2023 - Bruins Summer Prizes Awarded to Libraries

As part of “When You Read, You Score” the Boston Bruins awarded special prizes to participants in the statewide summer library program. Since 2009 the Boston Bruins have partnered with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) to encourage reading during the summer months. Since then, over fou...

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July 14, 2023 - Greenfield Celebrates its New Library

On July 13, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Senator Joanne Comerford, and Commissioner George Comeau from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) joined Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedegartner, local officials, and a huge crowd of community members to celebrate the new Greenfield Public Library. This $20 ...

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July 14, 2023 - MBLC Awards $27 Million in Library Construction

At its July 13, 2023 board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) awarded provisional construction grants totaling $27,519,585 to libraries participating in the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). The Fitchburg Public Library received $12,449,949, the Lynnfield Public Li...

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July 14, 2023 - MBLC Elects FY2024 Officers

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) elected new officers to serve for FY2024 at its Board Meeting on July 13, 2023....

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July 13, 2023 - MBLC Awards 2024 Federal LSTA Grants

MBLC Awards 2024 Federal LSTA Grants...

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July 12, 2023 - Governor Healey Appoints Joyce Linehan as MBLC Commissioner

Dorchester native Joyce Linehan has been appointed by Governor Maura Healey to serve on the nine-member Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The MBLC was established in 1890 and is responsible for library services across the Commonwealth including the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, f...

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June 01, 2023 - Massachusetts Library Organizations Stand with Librarians Against Censorship and Intolerance

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May 19, 2023 - Partial Construction Awards for Fitchburg and Swansea

Fitchburg and Swansea were awarded partial Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) grants at the May 4, 2023 meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). Fitchburg was awarded $4,979,980 of its total MPLCP grant award of $12,449,949. Swansea received $818,248 of its total g...

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May 18, 2023 - Woburn’s Award-Winning Library

Woburn Public Library was recently awarded the Prestigious AIA/ALA Award honoring the best in library architecture and design. This is the fourth award for the library which was part of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP)....

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May 11, 2023 - Sherborn Celebrates its New Library

On April 29, state and local officials gathered with residents of Sherborn to celebrate the newly renovated and expanded Sherborn Public Library. The project is part of the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) and received a $3.6 million co...

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May 10, 2023 - Senate Close to Meeting Legislative Ask

The newly released Senate Ways and Means budget meets the requested amounts in the FY2024 Legislative Agenda for all budget lines except Massachusetts Center for the Book (MCB). Senate Ways and Means proposed funding totals over $46 million in state funding to support libraries. “Library funding benefits all resi...

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April 19, 2023 - Library Priorities Funded in House Budget

On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, the Massachusetts House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee released their proposal for the FY2023 budget. The budget funds library priorities, Library Resource & Technology, Worcester Talking Book Library, and the Talking Book & Machine Library at Perkins, at the amount request in...

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February 02, 2023 - Successful State Aid 2023

At its February Board Meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) wrapped up the FY2023 State Aid to Public Libraries application process by approving waivers of Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR) for eight applicants. FY2023 State Aid program grants total more than $16 million, the largest ...

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Celeste Bruno, Communications Director
617-725-1860 x208
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celeste.bruno@mass.gov

June Thammasnong, Communications Specialist
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