Technical Assistance
MBLC's Construction Team staff provide support services to libraries throughout the Commonwealth, regardless of participation in the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). Library directors, trustees, building committees, OPMs, and architects can seek guidance for the following activities:
- assessing space needs
- project planning
- library building programs
- understanding and evaluating architectural designs
- focused review of architectural designs for workflow, efficiency, and user experience
- preparing for and completing MPLCP applications
For municipalities awarded MPLCP grants, support continues throughout the planning and design phase and construction phase.
Resources
- Library Space: A Planning Resource for Librarians is a guide to a formal set of best practices for designing library space, developed through a partnership between MBLC staff and the design firm Sasaki.
- Building Literacy: Public Library Construction, a podcast, has episodes related to the Library Building Program, flexible design, and curated spaces.
- Pre-Planning
- Non-MPLCP Funding Opportunities
LibGuides
- Making the Most of the Space You Have
- Elements of UX
- MPLCP Library Building Programs
- Library Design and Construction Resources from the MBLC
This list may not be comprehensive; you can search the entire MBLC professional collection by using the NOBLE Network catalog and changing the location of the search from "NOBLE (All Libraries)" to "MBLC Library".