The MBLC provides support and information to library administration, trustees, and staff on a variety of topics.
Policies
Consultants provide advisory services related to library policies. This includes reviewing draft policies, providing education around purpose and guiding principles of policy development. Additional Trustee Deep Dives will be offered on specific policy topics. For example, MBLC will review collection development policies and offer suggestions.
Governance
Governance is the processes and rules of a library board, as it relates to their statutory authority of library operations. Consulting services including personalized recommendations for difficult situations and best practices. We provide consulting services for new library director searches and work with new directors as they are onboarding.
Municipal Relationships
All public libraries are municipally funded in part, regardless of their governance structure. MBLC works with library directors, trustees, and municipal officials to clarify roles and responsibilities. MBLC provide customized advice to library directors and boards of trustees when those roles and responsibilities are overstepped.
Legal
MBLC does not provide legal advice, and all information provided is for information purposes only. We provide information related to Open Meeting Law, Ethics Laws, Chapter 78 and other laws related to public libraries. We offer Trustee Deep Dives through the Legal Information Series to provide information to library directors and trustees. We partner with the State Aid team to provide information related to Library Regulations. MBLC will share information about changes in statute that impact public libraries and refer to the agencies that have legal jurisdiction.
Continuing Education
MBLC has licensed a United for Libraries Statewide Group Membership that provides access to recorded webinars, tips sheets and monthly learning opportunities for those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for all types of libraries. This platform is available for trustees, friends, foundations, library directors and library supporters who work or live in Massachusetts.
- Register for United for Libraries on the ALA site
- Already registered, log in to United for Libraries
- Email united@ala.org for questions related to registration and access.
Friends and Foundations
Friends and Foundations are an important part of the library support ecosystem. MBLC hosts ongoing informal gatherings for Friends and Foundation board members to come together, share ideas, ask questions and make connections. Additional support includes individual consulting sessions for library directors, friends and foundations for difficult situations and recommended best practices.