In this Month’s News and Updates…
- Farewell and Best Wishes to Tressa Santillo
- Member Webinar Spotlights
- Building Support for Libraries
- Pathways to Inclusion: Findings, Framework, and Next Steps
- Library Careers: Salary LibGuide
- Get Ready for Summer 2026 with iREAD!
- West Bridgewater Delivery Open House
- A Visit to the Marlborough Public Library
Farewell and Best Wishes to Tressa Santillo
Tressa Santillo departed from her role as the electronic resources manager with the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) on October 23, 2025. We are grateful for Tressa’s service to our members since she joined in 2016.
During her time at MLS, Tressa helped transform members’ access to digital content like eBooks, audiobooks, and databases. Thanks to her leadership, the MLS OverDrive K-12 Shared Sora Collection soared to #1 in New England, #2 in the United States, and #2 in the world for annual circulations. Her work on this program positively impacted the lives of our member library staff and the students they serve, and we are proud of her accomplishments.
We will miss Tressa and wish her the best of luck in her next chapter!
Member Webinar Spotlights
Registration is still open for the Fall 2025 MLS Member Webinar series!
MLS member library staff will share their knowledge and expertise on a variety of topics in a series of two webinars taking place November 3 and November 20.
Visit LibCal to register for a webinar or check out the lineup below!
Wait, Libraries Do That, Too? Becoming a U.S. Passport Acceptance Agency
With Patty Bailey, Morrill Memorial Library (Norwood)
- November 3, 2 – 3 p.m.
- Check out Patty’s spotlight blog for more details!
Organizing a Human Library Event in Your Community
With Sam Correia (they/them), Duxbury Free Library
- November 20, 2 – 3 p.m.
- Check out Sam’s spotlight blog for more details!
For full webinar descriptions, check out the MLS Member Webinars LibGuide or the MLS Events Calendar, where registration is open for all webinars.
MLS Member Webinars will be recorded and posted to the MLS Vimeo channel.
Contact Consultant Jane Stimpson (jane@masslibsystem.org) with questions.
Building Support for Libraries
Registration is still open for our Building Support for Libraries series!
We’re excited to collaborate with the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) Legislative Committee and EveryLibrary on this opportunity.
These webinars and follow-up Community Chats are designed to strengthen skills in communication, fundraising, and community engagement that help libraries thrive. Each webinar introduces strategies from national experts, followed by a Community Chat where members can revisit the content, ask questions, and explore how to apply these ideas locally.
Follow the links below to register for a session:
Building the Library Coalition: Individuals
- Webinar: November 10, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Community Chat: November 17, 10 – 11 a.m.
How to Talk to People in Power
- Webinar: January 13, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Community Chat: January 20, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Webinar: February 10, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Community Chat: February 24, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Webinar: March 10, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Community Chat: March 17, 10 – 11 a.m.
Digital and Online Fundraising
- Webinar: April 21, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Community Chat: April 28, 10 – 11 a.m.
Pathways to Inclusion: Findings, Framework, and Next Steps
MLS invites staff from member libraries to a virtual session about the Pathways to Inclusion Project.
This webinar will share what MLS learned during the project’s research and review stages. The session will include a short presentation and live polls. Participants will learn about the next steps to improve the library work experience.
This session marks an important milestone in the Pathways to Inclusion Project.
Everyone is encouraged to join the discussion. Your ideas will help guide how MLS moves from planning to action.
Register for Pathways to Inclusion: Findings, Framework, and Next Steps.
Library Careers: Salary LibGuide
Our BiblioTemps service is excited to introduce the newest addition to our Library Careers LibGuide: The Pay Equity & Salary Negotiation Resource Guide.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- Top tips to help you prepare for successful salary negotiations
- Resources on key topics such as equal pay, living wage, and pay transparency
- A salary negotiation webinar offering strategies for both new hires and those seeking a promotion …and more!
From entry-level roles to leadership positions, we hope this guide helps you make confident, informed decisions about your pay and professional growth.
Get Ready for Summer 2026 with iREAD!
Join MLS Consultant Christi Farrar and the team from iREAD to learn about Summer 2026, “Plant a Seed, Read!”
The webinar will include:
- Welcome & General introduction to the program
- Introduction to the 2026 theme & artists for “Plant a Seed, Read”
- 2026 Resource Guide: overview of how to redeem your code, download, and access the Resource Guide
- MLS funding: overview of how to redeem voucher codes and submit your order
- Opportunity to contribute to the 2027 Resource Guide
- Presentation of the general theme concept and voting on taglines for 2028
- Details about the iREAD online store, online ordering process, deadlines, shipping, accounts, etc..
- Q&A
Register for Get Ready for Summer 2026 with iREAD.
West Bridgewater Delivery Open House
On October 22, MLS and Optima Shipping hosted a Delivery Open House at the sorting facility in West Bridgewater.
The West Bridgewater facility sorts materials for over 150 libraries in Southeast Massachusetts including Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. This facility is also where RI/MA Interstate Delivery materials move in and out. For the month of September an average of 300,000 materials were sorted at this location.
During the Open House, attendees watched vans arrive at the warehouse, materials sorted using the sort-to-light system, and bins staged to be delivered the next day. Members participated in the sorting process, by wearing wrist worn scanners to sort library materials. Thank you to all those who attended.
Our next Open House will be in the spring at our Wilmington facility. For more details about the sorting process, check out our Delivery video.
A Visit to the Marlborough Public Library
On October 22, several members of MLS’s Learning Services Department visited the Marlborough Public Library to tour the building and hold a department meeting.
We enjoyed seeing all the beautiful updates following the library’s renovation in 2023. Library Journal recognized the library’s playful circular lights in “The Year in Architecture” last year!
Thank you to Director Sara Belisle for leading our tour and to the entire MPL staff for accommodating our department!
