News Releases 2023
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...
READ MOREDecember 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...
READ MORENovember 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...
READ MORENovember 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...
READ MOREOctober 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...
READ MOREOctober 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....
READ MOREOctober 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...
READ MOREOctober 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...
READ MORESeptember 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 ...
READ MORESeptember 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 ...
READ MORESeptember 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 ...
READ MORESeptember 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...
READ MOREAugust 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...
READ MOREJuly 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...
READ MOREJuly 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 ...
READ MOREJuly 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...
READ MOREJuly 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....
READ MOREJuly 13, 2023 - MBLC Awards 2024 Federal LSTA Grants
MBLC Awards 2024 Federal LSTA Grants...
READ MOREJuly 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...
READ MOREJune 01, 2023 - Massachusetts Library Organizations Stand with Librarians Against Censorship and Intolerance
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READ MOREMay 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...
READ MOREMay 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)....
READ MOREMay 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...
READ MOREMay 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...
READ MOREApril 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...
READ MOREFebruary 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 ...
READ MOREFebruary 02, 2023 - MBLC Announces New Construction Grant Round
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce the 2023-2024 grant round for the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). The MPLCP provides grants that help pay for major capital improvement projects such as new construction, addition or renovation of an existing libra...
READ MOREJanuary 11, 2023 - Library Renovation Underway in Melrose
On January 11, 2023 Melrose residents gathered with state and local officials to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Melrose Public Library renovation project. “There's no institution more important, and frankly more American, in our community than our Public Library,” said Representative Kate Lip...
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For More Information & Press Inquiries
Celeste Bruno, Communications Director
617-725-1860 x208
857-488-6206 (Mobile)
celeste.bruno@mass.gov
June Thammasnong, Communications Specialist
617-725-1860 x240
857-488-7004 (Mobile)
june.thammasnong@mass.gov