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). Please visit the Technical Assistance and Resources page for more information.
Maintain the Building
If you are interested in pursuing an MPLCP grant, it is important to note that the program does not fund projects where deferred maintenance is the main driver of need. Regular maintenance is essential to keep the building envelope resilient, the systems in working order, and occupants safe and healthy. Check out the Construction Team’s The Accidental Facilities Manager webinar for more information about and tips to assist with maintenance and capital planning.
Condition Assessment
As defined in the MPLCP regulations, a condition assessment is “a written report completed by a building sciences firm, a registered engineer, or a registered architect regarding the physical condition of an existing facility's building, site, and grounds as well as future financial risk or liability issues. Elements are evaluated for condition, completion, code compliance, life-cycle costs, appropriateness for intended use, and any issues compromising the structure or systems.”
If a municipality wishes to use an existing structure as part of an MPLCP-supported project, conducting a basic condition assessment of that structure is required. More advanced condition assessments triage work with cost estimations for capital planning, which is not required as part of the MPLCP’s condition assessment.
Feasibility Studies
As defined in MPLCP regulations, a study is “a plan, analysis, or report to identify and evaluate alternative solutions to and recommendations for a solution to the needs and requirements defined by a public agency proposing an approved public library project.”
Feasibility studies can have varying goals, including but not limited to the feasibility of fundraising for a capital project or the feasibility of adding onto an existing structure. Feasibility studies are not a required component of the MPLCP, but the planning and design phase of the program, especially for renovation/expansion projects, incorporates elements of a feasibility study as site investigation concludes and design work progresses into conceptual designs.
If your municipality decides to pursue a feasibility study before applying for an MPLCP grant, be aware that design work completed prior to being awarded a grant may not be used if your project is accepted into the Planning and Design phase. Likewise, any feasibility study work completed prior to executing a contract with the MBLC is considered ineligible cost.
Preparing for a Grant Application
Pre-Grant Round
- Document needs
- “No” Log – at service desks, place hashmarks next to services and spaces requested but unable to be provided due to the building or infrastructure
- Strategic Plan – incorporate facility needs and goals
- Municipal Capital Plan – inclusion of library facility documents ongoing municipal support of capital needs
- Discuss needs with municipal officials and community stakeholders and members
- Procure a firm for a Condition Assessment (if looking to use an existing structure in a whole building project)
- Review updated regulations
Note: No prior design work completed before application is eligible if accepted into the Planning and Design Phase.
Grant Round Announcement
- Alert project stakeholders
- Review the Program Notice
- Attend grant round workshops
- Submit a Letter of Intent
- Establish a committee to assist with the application phase
- Engage the community actively and passively to identify needs
- Complete the Library Building Program (procure a Library Building Consultant if outside assistance is desired)
- Identify potential project sites and rank them
- Complete and submit the application
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.
- Upcoming Grant Round
- Municipal Involvement
- Field Trip List