Section 39. As used in sections thirty-nine to thirty-nine B, inclusive, the following words shall have the following meanings, unless the context otherwise requires:—

“Agency”, each agency, office, state-supported institution of higher education, department, authority, executive office, bureau, officer, board, committee, task force, commission, special commission, division, executive office of the commonwealth, whether permanent or temporary in nature, including any state agency supported wholly or in part by public funds.

“Publication”, any document, study, rule, regulation, report, directory, pamphlet, brochure, periodical, newsletter, bibliography, microphotographic form, tape or disc recording, annual, biennial or special report, statistical compendium, or other printed material regardless of its format or manner of duplication, issued in the name of or at the request of any agency of the commonwealth or produced and issued as part of a contract entered into by any agency of the commonwealth regardless of the source of funding, provided they constitute “public records” as defined in clause Twenty-sixth of section seven of chapter four, excepting correspondence, blank forms, and university press publications.

“Regional public libraries”, those libraries as defined in section nineteen C of chapter seventy-eight. These definitions shall not include any records of the general court.