“The Commissioners and MBLC staff support our vision of every library in Massachusetts serving “as a thriving community hub, transforming lives through access to knowledge, information, and lifelong learning” by promoting equitable access, advancing innovation, and fostering resilience in libraries across the Commonwealth. We do this through funding, guidance, partnerships, and the coordination of statewide services.”

-- James Lonergan, Director, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

Project Examples

Innovative: People, Places and Things Celebrating Diversity
The People, Places and Things project reflected a changing student population at Bishop Stang High School, a parochial high school in Southeastern Massachusetts with a growing Latino and African American student body. The school library updated its collection with materials reflecting emerging voices and created a series of programs including an Open Mic night featuring diverse music performed by students. The library offered an additional Book Tasting event for all the school’s English classes to introduce 68 new library titles that reflected new voices. By the end of that week, students had checked out 55 of the books.  
IMLS Funds: $6,000 
 

Health and Wellness: Aging in Place
The Billerica Public Library focused on the needs of seniors aged 60-70, as this age group was not utilizing community-based healthy aging resources at as high a rate as seniors aged 71 and older. The library expanded its resources by purchasing relevant books and materials, prioritizing partnerships with local organizations, and offering virtual programming on topics such as decluttering, boosting the immune system, and estate planning. Forty-six seniors participated in the program offerings, and among survey respondents, 77 percent indicated they had implemented changes in their lives as a result of their attendance.   
IMLS Funds: $7,500 

 

INCITE: Invest in Citizenship and Expanded English Learning
In partnership with the Adult Learning Center, the Lawrence Public Library created a Citizenship Corner offering English language instruction for community members. As a central site for information, the library now has the most up-to-date materials to help residents practice their English language skills and prepare for the U.S. naturalization exam. Thanks to this project, many area residents obtained their U.S. citizenship and continued their English language learning. This project also helped strengthen the library’s partnerships with organizations like the Adult Learning Center and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. To officially announce the Citizenship Corner to the community, the library hosted a launch event on Citizenship Day, September 17th, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and naturalization ceremony.  
IMLS Funds: $7,100 

Review recent Grants to States projects from this state library in the State Program Report database.

Search the Awarded Grants Database for additional details about awards in this state or view the State Details Dashboard.

Five-Year Plan Highlights

Goal 1: Promote Learning and Skill Development - Massachusetts residents will have opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills that enable them to reach their educational and personal goals, resolve real life issues, and advance their economic and employment ambitions. 

• Projects include:
  • Summer Reading support, including subgrants 
  • Subgrants for pre/early literacy initiatives
  • Subgrants for active learning, such as makerspace activities and story-walks 
  • Subgrants for financial literacy 
  • Subgrants for health and wellness 
  • Subgrants for parenting initiatives 
  • Subgrants for workforce and business development initiatives 

Goal 2: Enable Access - Massachusetts residents will have convenient access to relevant, high-quality information resources in formats that they can use to achieve their educational, occupational, and personal/recreational goals.

• Projects include:
  • Enhanced finding and sharing tools 
  • Databases/electronic resources 
  • Other e-content 
  • Outreach to the underserved, including subgrants

Goal 3: Strengthen Libraries - Massachusetts residents will be served by local libraries that employ knowledgeable, community-focused staff members who incorporate the best professional practices and up-to-date technologies to deliver relevant, high-quality library services.

• Projects include:
  • Staff and trustee development and training 
  • Subgrants for preservation, conservation, digitization, and disaster preparedness 
  • Library planning, development, and support 

Goal 4: Build Thriving Communities - Massachusetts residents will have opportunities to discover and explore their personal and community histories, dialogue with other community members, engage new Americans, and to participate in and contribute to the vitality of their communities. 

• Projects include:
  • Subgrants for Building Community Through the Historical Record 
  • Building Community Through Inclusion and Interaction, including subgrants such as language circles and citizenship corners 

IMLS Data Collection

State Library Administrative Agency Survey
The State Library Administrative Agency Survey (SLAA) provides descriptive data about state library agencies for all fifty states and the District of Columbia. To interact with the latest data, please visit the SLAA Survey Comparison Tool. 

Public Libraries Survey
The Public Libraries Survey (PLS) provides national descriptive data on the status of public libraries in the United States and its territories. Explore state profiles representing more than 9,000 public library systems and over 17,000 public library outlets.