In this Month’s News and Updates…
- Save the Date for the MLS Member Annual Meeting!
- Last Call: Accepting Applications for the Operations Director Position
- MLS Welcomes New Learning Services Project Manager Patrick Bracken
- Browse 10 Minute or Less Courses on the Learning Hub
- Building Support for Libraries Playlist
- Spring 2026 MLS Member Webinar Blog Posts
- Library Social Work Blog Posts
- Photos from the Delivery Open House in Wilmington
- MHEC EXPO Registration Now Open
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Save the Date for the MLS Member Annual Meeting!
We’re excited to share that the 2026 MLS Member Annual Meeting is taking place on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
Please note: This year, we’re hosting our event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Leominster.
We look forward to sharing more information, including registration and programming details, in the coming weeks.
Until then, please save the date and contact MLS Learning Events & Grants Manager Sarah Donnelly (sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org) with any questions.
Last Call: Accepting Applications for the Operations Director Position
MLS is looking to hire an Operations Director. This leadership position reports to the Executive Director, serves on the leadership team, and contributes to overall organizational planning and policy development.
How to Apply:
To be considered for the Operations Director position, email a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to employment@masslibsystem.org.
Your cover letter should clearly indicate that you are applying for the Operations Director position and should also address your qualifications for this position. Please use “Operations Director Application” as the subject line of your email.
Note: The deadline to apply was June 2, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
MLS Welcomes New Learning Services Project Manager Patrick Bracken
MLS is pleased to welcome Patrick Bracken as the new Learning Services Project Manager in the Learning Services Department. In this role, Patrick will lead and provide expertise to projects that will enhance the services we provide to our members.
Patrick holds an M.Ed. from the University of Saint Joseph and a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification from the Project Management Institute.
In his previous role as Instructional Design Director at Newglobe Education, Patrick led teams in projects that created thousands of educational materials, including lesson plans, assessments, and textbooks, for over a million students in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Liberia, and India. Before that, he was a middle school language arts teacher in both Hartford and his hometown of Southbridge.
When not working, Patrick enjoys cooking, acting in and directing community theater, and watching British comedy shows with his wife.
Patrick can be reached at patrick@masslibsystem.org. For more information about the Learning Services Department, please visit our resource guide.
Browse 10 Minute or Less Courses on the Learning Hub
Looking for quick learning opportunities to build your skills? Check out our courses on the MLS Learning Hub!
In response to learner feedback, we created a filter for courses that are 10 minutes or less. Learning Hub users can also add other filters to find quick courses about topics relevant to their work.
If you haven’t already, visit the Learning Hub signup page to create your free account.
Building Support for Libraries Playlist
The Building Support for Libraries series officially wrapped up in April. These virtual sessions were designed to strengthen skills in communication, funding strategies, and community engagement that help libraries thrive.
In case you missed it, check out the recording of every session by visiting the Building Support for Libraries playlist on Vimeo.
Thank you to the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) Legislative Committee and EveryLibrary for collaborating with us on this series!
Spring 2026 MLS Member Webinar Blogs
The Spring 2026 MLS Member Webinar series is kicking off next week!
To get to know our presenters, check out their blog posts, where they share how their backgrounds connect to their chosen topics. Be sure to also register for their webinars!
Making Volunteer Programs Work for You (and Your Community)
Hosted by Katie Nelson, Beverly Public Library
Wednesday, June 3, 2 – 3 p.m.
Read Katie’s blog post.
Creative Writing for All: Crafting a Community-Based Writing Group
Hosted by Kaye M. H. Crawford, Parker Memorial Library of Dracut
Wednesday, June 10, 10 – 11 a.m.
Read Kaye’s blog post.
Neurodiverse Friendly Libraries Benefit Everyone
Hosted by Kim Money Priddy, Middlesex Community College
Tuesday, June 16, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Read Kim’s blog post.
Library Social Work Blog Posts
Interested in learning more about social work in libraries? Check out a recent series of blog posts conducted by MLS Consultant Michelle Eberle!
In this series, we heard from two interns and a social worker about their experience with social work at the Somerville Public Library.
- Library Social Work Internship: Liana Hunt
- Library Social Work Internship: Ava Maddox
- Library Social Work: Jake Savage
Photos from the Delivery Open House in Wilmington
On May 14, MLS and Optima hosted a Delivery Open House at the Wilmington sort facility. MLS member library staff learned about the sorting process, found their library’s bin location, and even sorted some items themselves!
Thank you to our friends at Optima for leading this tour and providing such great information for our member library staff!
MHEC EXPO Registration Now Open
Registration for this year’s MHEC EXPO is now open!
This free event offers members a chance to meet suppliers, learn about products, and make connections.
The EXPO takes place on Thursday, September 24, 2026 at the DCU Center in Worcester.
