August News and Updates

August 30, 2023

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In this months news and updates:

FY24 State Budget
Announcing our 2024 Annual Meeting Speaker
Browse, Borrow, Board across Massachusetts
MLS welcomes new Resource Sharing Assistant, Heidi Flynn
In the News

FY24 State Budget

The FY24 State Budget was signed recently, and MLS is incredibly grateful to the legislature, the MBLC, and everyone who advocated for our budget line that we share with Library for the Commonwealth at the Boston Public Library. We are especially thankful to Senator Oliveira, for championing an amendment for our line. More news to come as our budget becomes final.

Announcing our 2024 Annual Meeting Speaker

We’re thrilled to share that Meg Medina, Library of Congress’ National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and the 2019 Newbury Medal winner for Merci Suárez Changes Gears, will be joining us at our Annual Meeting. Please join us on November 6 as we welcome Meg and host our annual council of members business meeting at the Devens Commons Center. More info will be shared in the coming weeks.

Browse, Borrow, Board across Massachusetts

MLS is pleased to announce a new collaboration with the Boston Public Library/Library for the Commonwealth (LFC) and Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to expand the “Browse Borrow Board” program to reach MassDOT locations across Massachusetts.

From the BPL:

This spring and summer, riders at twenty bus stops and busways will be able to access free digital content provided by the Boston Public Library through a pilot program called “Browse, Borrow, Board.”

Riders can browse digital audiobooks, eBooks, newspapers, and magazines by following the QR code (found on large sidewalk decals) while waiting for their bus to arrive before borrowing and enjoying their reading materials on the go.

The library has been working with the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM) and the MBTA on “Browse, Borrow, Board.”
https://www.bpl.org/browse-borrow-board/

Join us to learn more about this unique program on September 13, 2023 at 10AM, online. Register at: https://calendar.masslibsystem.org/event/11217777

This program supports our Strategic Plan Initiative 1, Goal 3 FY24 Action: “MLS will continue to explore new service opportunities with our statewide collaborators.”
This work also continues our commitment to equity, ensuring those in underserved communities across the commonwealth benefit from statewide resources.

MLS welcomes new Resource Sharing Assistant, Heidi Flynn

Heidi joins MLS after working in public libraries since 2015, doing everything from cataloging to marketing to creating dynamic visual displays in the libraries. In her most recent role before joining MLS, Heidi worked as an adult services circulation librarian at the Ayer Library, working on a variety of tasks and projects alongside the head of adult services, such as tackling the massive project of numbering and color coding all of the adult fiction series in the library.

Heidi holds a BA in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice from UMass Amherst. When Heidi isn’t working, she enjoys going to concerts and conventions, reading horror novels and watching horror movies, painting with watercolors, gaming, and hunting for vinyls for her ever-growing collection.