Overview
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) was established in 1890 under Chapter 78 of the Massachusetts General Laws.
According to its website,
[MBLC] is the agency of state government with the statutory authority and responsibility to organize, develop, coordinate, and improve library services throughout the Commonwealth. . . .
The MBLC strives to provide every resident of the Commonwealth with full and equal access to library information resources regardless of geographic location, social or economic status, age, level of physical or intellectual ability, or cultural background. . . .
The goals of the MBLC are to
- maintain and strengthen the Commonwealth’s free public libraries,
- provide statewide and regional programs for the improvement of library services provided by libraries of all types,
- support resource sharing, online access, and the utilization of technology by libraries, and
- provide specialized library services to blind and physically handicapped residents.
MBLC is governed by a board of nine commissioners who are appointed by the Governor. The chair is appointed by the commissioners, and the commissioners hire a director, who is responsible for administering MBLC’s programs and advisory services.
During our audit period, 24 people worked at MBLC. Its office is at 90 Canal Street, Suite 500, in Boston. In fiscal years 2021 and 2022, MBLC had operating budgets of $33,935,684 and $36,361,524, respectively.
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted on March 27, 2020, to provide economic assistance to American workers, families, and businesses. As part of this act, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) received funding to provide grants to respond to the national emergency. These grants were meant to help museums and libraries preserve jobs, provide staff training and development, address the digital divide2 by enhancing internet access for various communities, plan for reopening after the pandemic, provide technical support, and promote online use of library resources (such as digital books and newspapers) while prioritizing the highest-need communities. MBLC received $622,796 in the form of an IMLS CARES Act Grant (award number LS-246539-OLS-20). These funds were expended on a variety of projects, including digital books for schools, summer reading software for public libraries, and virtual programming support for public libraries.
Summer Software Grant Program
MBLC expended $47,500 of the IMLS CARES Act Grant funds during our audit period on its Summer Software Grant Program. This program provided grants, in the form of software, to public libraries throughout the Commonwealth. (See Appendix A for a list of grant recipients.) MBLC contracted with a literacy software company, Zoobean Inc., which operates under the name Beanstack, that produces and administers the software provided to grant recipients. Each library is set up with a unique Beanstack website, where library patrons log in to access reading materials and complete reading activities. Families can use the website to track the reading progress of their children in school. Libraries can track reading and generate reports through Beanstack. All eligible libraries that applied received a grant for the software.
Virtual Programming for Distance Learning Grant Program
MBLC expended $126,161 of IMLS CARES Act Grant funds during our audit period on the Virtual Programming for Distance Learning Grant Program. These grants were provided to libraries within the Massachusetts Library System to support public access to virtual library programs and had a limit of $3,500 per grant. (See Appendix B for a list of grant recipients.) Libraries were required to submit an application for funding and those that received funds had to file a financial report and a narrative report with MBLC, detailing expenditures and use of grant funds.
The Office of the State Auditor created an interactive graphic to provide the public with additional information about the municipalities in Massachusetts that submitted applications and received grants for the Summer Software Grant Program and Virtual Program for Distance Learning Grant Program.
Post-Construction Reviews
According to MBLC’s internal control plan (ICP), dated June 2021,
The agency’s objective is to administer the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP), which provides funds that aid municipalities with executing major capital improvement projects that involve the expansion and renovation of public library facilities.
Our most recent audit (No. 2018-0165-3S), issued July 10, 2018, found that MBLC did not perform comprehensive post-construction reviews, which include a review of library needs assessments. This audit recommended that MBLC perform these reviews of projects to determine whether each fully met the needs of the community.
Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth’s “COVID-19 Pandemic Response Internal Controls Guidan
On September 30, 2020, the Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth provided guidance for state agencies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance helped state agencies that were experiencing significant changes identify their goals, objectives, and risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Those objectives included telework, return-to-work plans, changes to business processes, and safety protocols for staff members and visitors.
Cybersecurity Awareness Training
According to MBLC’s ICP, dated June 2021, “[MBLC] protects against cyber threats by educating staff about password complexity, changing passwords, and other efforts to safeguard agency systems, networks, computers, and hardware.”
The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) has established policies and procedures that apply to all Commonwealth agencies. EOTSS’s Information Security Risk Management Standard IS.010 requires that all new and existing Commonwealth employees be trained annually on cybersecurity awareness. Section 6.2 of this standard states that the objective of information security training is to “educate users on their responsibility to help protect the confidentiality, availability and integrity of the Commonwealth’s information assets.”
| Date published: | October 24, 2023 |
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