In this Month’s News and Updates…
- Applications for Conference Scholarships Open this July
- Sora Open Enrollment Starting this July
- MHEC Cooperative Purchasing Update
- Member Annual Meeting Reminder
- Thank You for Shaping the Library Manager and Supervisor Learning Pathways
- A Visit to the Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library
Applications for Conference Scholarships Open this July
The Massachusetts Library System (MLS) is pleased to announce the next application period for our conference scholarship program.
Between July 1 – 15, 2025, we will accept scholarship applications for conferences that will be held between September 2025 – February 2026.
Key details of the conference scholarship program include:
- The conference scholarship is open to staff who work in MLS member libraries.
- Full-time and part-time staff with regularly scheduled hours are eligible to apply.
- Any conference that may be relevant to a staff member’s current library position or library career aspirations will be considered.
- Scholarships will be available in the following amounts:
-
- Virtual conferences: $500
- Local conferences (within Massachusetts): $1,000
- Regional conferences (outside Massachusetts, but within New England): $1,500
- National conferences (outside New England): $2,500
- If you apply for and are offered a conference scholarship, you must confirm that you are accepting the scholarship within seven calendar days of receiving the offer.
- All conference scholarship recipients must complete a Conference Experience Report within 30 days of the end of their conference.
- MLS provides reimbursement only. All reimbursement requests from scholarship recipients must be received within 30 days of the end of their conference.
- Library staff may receive no more than one conference scholarship each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
Additional terms and conditions apply and can be found, along with a link to the application form, on our Conference Scholarship LibGuide.
The conference scholarship program supports Initiative 1, Goal 3 and Initiative 2, Goal 2 of the MLS Strategic Plan.
Let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing an application from you!
Sora Open Enrollment Starting this July
Enrollment in the MLS Sora program begins July 1 for MLS member schools that are not current participants. Visit the Commonwealth eBook Collections LibGuide to learn more.
The enrollment form will be available on the LibGuide starting July 1. Program enrollment is planned to be open until November 30, 2025.
Please contact MLS Electronic Resources Manager Tressa Santillo (tressa@masslibsystem.org) with any questions.
About the Program
The OverDrive K-12 Shared Sora Collection is a shared collection of 75,000+ eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines that are shared among participating MLS member schools.
Some details:
- Sora is the reading platform (app and website) – accessible from anywhere, anytime.
- Titles are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, and more.
- Support for curriculum titles, summer reading, book clubs, and other reading initiatives at no extra cost.
- Ability to add a public library card to Sora for access to even more titles from the local public library/network’s OverDrive collection and beyond.
- Get a live look at what’s being checked out from the collection right now.
- Pricing is based on student enrollment and schools are invoiced annually.
MHEC Cooperative Purchasing Update
As you are aware, in response to the IMLS funding cuts, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) announced decreases to the FY26 Statewide Database offerings, co-funded by MLS.
Members have expressed interest in subscribing to some of the eliminated titles on their own.
We want to let you know that we are actively working with our colleagues at MHEC to:
- Provide members access to various products cleared through Massachusetts procurement laws, Chapter 30B.
- Offer discounts on pricing.
This work is currently in process, and we will announce information as soon as it is available.
Member Annual Meeting Reminder
As a reminder, the MLS Member Annual Meeting is Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at the Devens Common Center!
Please note: This year’s event takes place on a Wednesday instead of our usual Monday meeting.
MLS is celebrating 15 years of service to our members! Join us this fall as we reflect on our work together and look ahead to new experiences.
We look forward to sharing more details, including registration information, in the coming weeks. Until then, please save the date and contact MLS Event & Project Manager Sarah Donnelly (sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org) with any questions.
Visit our LibCal page for more details.
Thank You for Shaping the Library Manager and Supervisor Learning Pathways
Background
In late 2023, MLS partnered with Dr. Audrey Barbakoff of Co/Lab Capacity to conduct a Training Needs Assessment, which included an online survey with over 600 responses and four virtual focus groups. These efforts revealed a strong member interest in structured learning pathways to support career growth at every stage.
What is a Learning Pathway?
A learning pathway is a structured set of courses designed to help library staff develop the knowledge and skills needed for success in a particular area. Aligned with Strategic Initiative 1, Goal 3 of our FY25 Action Plan, MLS developed the infrastructure for three Library Manager and Supervisor Learning Pathways for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skill levels.
Thank You for Your Input
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Library Manager and Supervisor Learning Pathways surveys this May. With 80 responses from library supervisors and managers, we were able to identify key training needs and refine the framework for this new statewide learning opportunity.
Your feedback directly informed the development of the courses, competencies, and learning outcomes. It also highlighted the importance of flexibility, inclusivity, and a service-oriented mindset—all of which are now central to the pathway’s design.
We’re excited to share that course development is underway, and we’ll have more updates soon as we prepare to pilot the first offerings. Your expertise has been critical to this work. Thank you for helping us build training that reflects the real needs of Massachusetts libraries.
If you have any questions, please contact MLS Learning Experience Program Manager Hillary Washburn (hillary@masslibsystem.org).
A Visit to the Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library
On June 18, several members of MLS’s Learning Services Department visited the Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library to tour the building and hold a department meeting.
The library received a beautiful refresh in 2022 after it completed its construction project. We loved touring the new space!
Our visit took us throughout the library, including stops at the stacks mosaic, the local history room, the children’s and teen’s spaces, and the makerspace. We also happened to visit during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the library’s coffee cart, INspire Café!
Thank you to Library Director Barbara Kerr for leading our tour and to the entire library staff for accommodating our department!
