MLS Designated as Regional Administrative Entity

"The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) held a special meeting on April 13 at which it voted to designate the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) as the administrative entity to provide regional services to libraries and residents beginning July 1, 2010. This action was necessitated by a severe reduction in funding to the regional budget line...."   Read Complete Report

Regional Transition Team Report #2

The following message was posted on the AllRegions email discussion list on Wednesday, March 3:

Dear Colleague:


The attached document provides an overview of the work to date of the Regional Transition Planning Committee (TransTeam). This group of 18 representatives of regional executive boards (3 members from each region) was established following the December 14 meeting of all regional executive board members to work toward a transition to a single “regional” entity to carry out the program beginning in FY2011. The work of the TransTeam is supported by Linda Braun as facilitator, the 6 regional administrators and myself as ex officio members.

This report brings you up to date with the Transition Team’s work to date. As noted in the report, the next step is for members of the Transition Team to present their report to regional executive boards in March. Feedback from these meetings will be considered by the Transition Team before it releases a final report in early April.

Regional Transition Planning Committee (Transition Team)

Report of Meetings Held February 5, February 17 and March 1, 2010

Single administrative entity

The six regional library systems will be consolidated into a single administrative entity called the Massachusetts Library System (MLS). MLS will operate from two sites in FY2011: the current home of the Metrowest Region in Waltham and the current home of the Western Region in Whately. Both sites are temporary pending the needs of MLS.

Staff

MLS will have a staff of about 22 FTE in FY2011 (a reduction from about 45 in FY2010). MLS will have an executive director, an assistant director, and a business manager. There will be 8-10 professional advisory positions responsible for continuing education and advisory services in the areas of library management, youth services, technology and MassCat. There will be 3 administrative support staff, and the current Western Region drivers and sorters will work for MLS in FY2011. Some continuing education and advisory services will be provided under contractual arrangements with outside providers.

Delivery

Delivery service will be maintained at its FY2010 level for all member libraries in FY2011.

Interlibrary Loan

Mediated interlibrary loan service (for non-automated requests and for libraries that are not members of an automated network) will continue under revised service contracts. Member libraries will package and mail materials being returned to libraries outside of the statewide delivery system.

Continuing Education and Advisory Service

Continuing education and advisory service will continue bearing in mind that there are fewer people providing the service. Trainings will be given at various sites across the state. During FY2011, staff will work from Whately or Waltham or from home in order to sustain the local relationships that are so important to member libraries.

Databases

Beginning in FY2012, database licensing will be statewide with close coordination between MLS, MBLC, LLR and other potential partners to license the best possible resources for the total funds available. Since regions renew database licenses at the end of the fiscal year (end of FY2010 for FY2011 use), they will renew their current licenses (as funding permits) this year for use by their current member libraries in FY2011.

Cooperative Purchasing

Statewide cooperative purchasing contracts for materials and supplies will be in place for FY2011 and will be continued.

Summer Reading

The statewide summer reading program is ready for summer 2010. Beginning with summer 2011, Massachusetts will join with 48 other states in using the national summer reading theme and materials. Member libraries may need to pay for some or all of the materials associated with this program.

Governance and Bylaws

MLS will operate under a governance structure similar to that of the current six regional library systems. MLS will operate under the articles of incorporation and IRS 501(c)(3) status of one of the current nonprofit regions. It will have a council of members that elects members of the executive board and approves an annual plan of service and budget for submission to the Board of Library Commissioners. The executive board will have 15 members elected at-large from the member libraries with provision for representation by type of library, geography of the state, and size of library. Board members will serve three year terms with a two consecutive term limit. A representative of the MBLC and LLR will serve as ex officio non-voting members.

During the transition from the six regions to MLS, a transition board will be designated by appointment of two members from each existing regional board and the designation of 3 additional members by the new board to balance library types, geography and size.

Next Steps

Members of the Transition Team will be presenting their report to regional executive boards in March. Feedback from these meetings will be considered by the Transition Team before it releases a final report in early April.

Reported by: Rob Maier for the Regional Transition Planning Committee

2011 MBLC Legislative Agenda

Posted to the ALLREGIONS email discussion list on Janurary 21, 2010:

The 2011 MBLC Legislative Agenda is available on the agency’s website: http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/legislative/leg-agenda.pdf

Also available is a PDF version that prints (double-sided) on 11 x 17 paper which folds in half to make the agenda one sheet. Please let me know if you would like me to email you this version.

~ Celeste Bruno,. Communications Specialist, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, 98 North Washington Street, Boston, MA 02114; 617-725-1860 x208; 800-952-7403 (in state); Fax: 617-725-0210; celeste.bruno@state.ma.us; www.mass.gov/mblc

FY2011 Budget and Regional Services

The message below was posted to the "All Regions" email discussion list on Tuesday, October 27, 2009:

To: All Regions

The Board of Library Commissioners received 250 comments on the proposed FY2011 budget. Thank you to those who took time to share your thoughts and ideas with us. Many of your comments are reflected in this update.

Over the last few weeks I have met with the staffs and executive boards of the Western, Central, Northeast, Metrowest and Southeastern regional library systems to brief them on the overall state budget issues that have led to the proposed 28% reduction in regional budgets for FY2011, and to discuss how we move forward together to plan for regional services needed by libraries and residents under these very constrained fiscal circumstances. I will attend each of the regional annual meetings in November to provide an update and to answer questions as time permits.

For now it is important that we focus our energy on assessing and prioritizing regional services. To this end, the regional administrators have contracted with Linda Braun to facilitate two discussions. First, all regional staff will gather to identify and prioritize regional services from their point of view as providers. Second, all regional executive board members will gather to prioritize services from the point of view of regional members. This work will be completed in December. From January through March we will work from the service priorities to design the best possible regional structure to provide the most complete set of services possible. From April through June we will work out the legal and fiscal details of the new structure. And as early as possible in FY2011 a transition to the new structure will take place.

Several issues have been raised in comments submitted to the Board of Library Commissioners in October and in the meetings with regional staff and executive boards that I would like to share with you.

First, beyond the major regional services (delivery, database licensing, continuing education and training, and many more) it is eminently clear that libraries of all types appreciate and want to preserve the relationship between their staff and regional staff. The single greatest challenge in restructuring the regions is to design a system that sustains this relationship. I am hopeful that this can be done.

Second, current regional staff should be retained. However, the reality is that there will simply not be positions for all current staff given the constrained budget.

Third, the restructured regions should continue to be multi-type and not revert to public library only regions.

Fourth, restructuring should be viewed as merging of existing regions and not as dissolution of regions. Merging means preserving the strengths of our regional system; dissolution suggests starting over.

Finally, it is of utmost importance that the current regional systems drive this process so that it ultimately results in a restructured regional program that reflects the needs of all member libraries. In short this restructuring will be best if it is a ground up not top down process.

END
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Robert C. Maier, Director
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
98 North Washington Street, Suite 401
Boston, MA 02114
Ph (617) 725-1860 x249

Please comment on MBLC Budget

To: Massachusetts Libraries and Library Users

The Board of Library Commissioners budget cap for FY2011 is a 16% reduction in total funding from this year (FY2010). This is a much more dramatic cut than we have been required to take at this point in the budget-making process than in preceding years, and the resulting reductions in program funding require Board direction.

In order to assure that the library community can comment on the potential impacts of this budget, the location of the October 1 Board meeting has been changed to the Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough. The regular monthly meeting will be called to order at 10:00 and run until about 11:30. At that time the Board will take a half hour break and at Noon convene a budget comment session. Please take this opportunity to comment to the Board on how to direct a 16% budget cut. The Board asks that speakers limit their presentations to 5 minutes to assure that all who wish to be heard have that opportunity. Written comments for the record are requested and electronic versions of comments are most useful. It is not necessary to appear in person to comment. Comments may be submitted to mailto:robert.maier@state.ma.us

To give a sense of the magnitude of this reduction, one option under consideration is: reduce funding to regions and library of last recourse by 28% (use the remainder of this fiscal year to develop a consolidation plan with the regions), reduce funding to automated networks by 27%, reduce funding to the talking book programs by 16%, level fund State Aid to Public Libraries and the agency administrative account. Clearly, each of these is challenging for the Board, for our libraries and for the residents we serve.

Please take these opportunities to let us know what you think. The Board can make the best possible budget recommendations only after hearing from a broad segment of the library community. This is going to be a very challenging year for all of us and there is no end in sight to the fiscal challenges facing the Commonwealth. Revenues continue to decline and federal stimulus funds used to balance the FY2010 budget will not be available in FY2011. The road back will be rocky at best, so the changes we make in FY2011 should be viewed as permanent.

The Board will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, October 6 at the agency offices beginning at 10:00am. The purpose of this special meeting is to consider the comments received on October 1 and determine how to meet the 16% reduction. The Board’s budget submission which must meet the cap is due October 9.

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Robert C. Maier, Director

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

98 North Washington Street, Suite 401

Boston, MA 02114

Ph (617) 725-1860 x249