Northeast Library Legislative Breakfast - March 6th at Beverly Public Library - 8-9 am
Beverly
Public Library is hosting this important event. Please try to
attend and call your legislators and ask them to join you to hear how
important libraries are in these difficulat economic times.
RSVP to Patricia Cirone, Library Director at 978-921-6062 or cirone@noblenet.org
Directions
Parking: Bring Quarters for the parking meter. There is limited parking in the lot on Winter Street next to the Library and there are spaces on Essex Street in front of the Library. Public lots are located at the intersection of Cabot Street and Pond Street (behind Brown's Bicycle Shop and Casa De Moda).
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MLA Online Value of Service Calculator
MLA hosts an online calculator to allow patrons to figure the retail price for services they use at your library. Visit: http://www.masslib.org/value-new/calculator.html
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ALA Provides Tools for Library Advocacy
The
American Library Association hosts a number of online advocacy and
public relations tools for use by public, school, and acacademic
libraries. Visit: http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/supporttoolkit/toolkithome.cfm
The ALA site offers much more to assist you in advocating for your library.
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Library License Plate Unveiled
Celebrate
libraries by proudly displaying the new MA library license plate and
encouraging your staff members, friends, trustees, or members to join
us!
For more information and an application, visit our License Plate page.
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MBLC Adopts Legislative Agenda for fy2010
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) adopted a
Legislative Agenda for FY2010 at its November 6, 2008 meeting. The
agenda aims to make modest gains, but also recognizes the $388,000 in
9C cuts implemented by Governor Deval Patrick in October (please see
full article online
here).“This agenda was developed over several months and is the
result of a close cooperation between the Board and library
advocates,” said MBLC Chairman, George T. Comeau.
“The Board understands that we’re in a difficult
economy,” said MBLC Director Robert C. Maier, “but library
funding has not recovered from the last economic downturn in 2001 and
with library usage soaring statewide, it has become increasingly
difficult for libraries to keep pace.”
This fall the MBLC was given a -1.5% (negative) budget cap by the
Office for Administration and Finance, meaning the Board would have to
reduce an already trim budget. After receiving testimony from hundreds
of individuals during public budget hearings in August and September
the Board developed an agenda that went beyond the cap, emphasizing
gaps between what is needed to keep libraries running and current
funding levels.
News
Release and Figures |
2009
Calendar
-
March 6,
2009 - Northeast Legislative Breakfast at Beverly Public Library
-
April 2,
2009 - MLA Library Legislative Day
Links
Budget
Tools
|
