- FY2025 Legislative Agenda
Building a Stronger Commonwealth: one person at a time
- Financial Literacy Month
Grow your programming with resources from the Office of Economic Empowerment
- Information for Public Officials
Library funding, MBLC programs, and more
- Smokey Bear Reading Challenge
Celebrate Smokey's 80th birthday with your library!
NEWS RELEASES
Latest activities and updates from the MBLCApril 19, 2024 - MBLC Grants Preserve Historical Collections
Massachusetts libraries are home to historic and unique items that are important to a community's history and form a part of the Commonwealth's rich cultural heritage. Many libraries protect and share irreplaceable local records, in mixed formats of books, photographs, archives, digital files, and ...READ MORE
April 19, 2024 - House Ways and Means Budget Proposal Released
The Massachusetts House of Representatives recently released their proposal for the FY2025 budget. This includes funding increases in the amounts requested in the FY2025 Legislative Agenda for the Talking Book Libraries at Perkins (7000-9406) and Worcester (7000-9402) and for Library Technology and...READ MORE
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 ...READ MORE
Library Directory
From the MBLC Blog
Survey Results: Library Services for Justice-Impacted Individuals
To better understand library services to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, Ally Dowds, Consultant to Special Populations at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, recently conducted a survey of public, school, academic, and special libraries. Of the 48 respondents, 9 currently provide outreach services to incarcerated individuals and 4 support reentry efforts in their communities. … Continue reading Survey Results: Library Services for Justice-Impacted Individuals
Libraries in the News
Prime Focus: US libraries on the frontlines of homelessness
ABC News’ Jaclyn Lee reports on libraries being on the frontlines of the increasing homelessness crisis across the U.S. and how librarians are learning techniques to help.Watch this amazing news story
Art to reflect the community: Forbes Library uses anonymous donation to purchase a range of BIPOC art
A couple years ago, Forbes Library received a $10,000 donation from a donor who wanted to remain anonymous but also wanted the money used for a very specific purpose: to broaden the Northampton library’s permanent art collection.The library donor — the person lives in the area, according to Downing — told Forbes officials that the … Continue reading Art to reflect the community: Forbes Library uses anonymous donation to purchase a range of BIPOC art
You can now check out an all-terrain wheelchair at the Bushnell-Sage Library in Sheffield
SHEFFIELD — For those who can’t go into the woods without help, Sheffield has a solution.With a state grant, the town bought a “GRIT Freedom Chair” that can be borrowed from the Bushnell-Sage Library’s “Library of Things” by those from any city or town with a CW Mars system library card. Read more from Berkshire Eagle