Reciprocal Borrowing
Policy
The Gleason Public Library welcomes residents of all municipalities.
As stated in the Massachusetts General Laws (605 CMR 4.01), “residents
of the Commonwealth shall have access to reading and reference rooms
under the same conditions as residents of the community."
The Gleason Public Library in accordance with the Commonwealth’s
minimum standards for Public Library Service (Massachusetts General
Laws, Ch. 78, Section 19B 1 & 6) extends reciprocal borrowing
privileges to the residents of the Commonwealth towns who also meet
certain minimum standards of funding and service mandated by the
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC).
Massachusetts General Laws (605 CMR 4.01) state that "all
public libraries participating in the direct state aid grant program
must be willing, on a reciprocal basis, to extend direct access
and services to non-residents who are card holders in other libraries
participating in the state grant program and on the same basis as
accorded to residents of the municipality in which the library is
located." A public library that does not meet the minimum standards
can be decertified by the MBLC and is not eligible to receive state
aid funding, apply for or receive LSTA grant funds, or enter into
any contracts with the region to provide supplemental services.
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners considers any
municipality that closes its main public library or ceases offering
library service to the public for any reason other than the undertaking
of a project to improve library services (such as construction,
automation preparation or inventory) or the occurrence of a natural
catastrophe (including a limited emergency closing due to illness
or death) to be, as of the date of that termination of service,
no longer a certified participant in the State Aid to Public Libraries
program.
The Gleason Public Library upholds the importance of maintaining
at least the minimum standards of public library service required
for public library certification by the Massachusetts Board of Library
Commissioners. Therefore, it is the policy of the Gleason Public
library to discontinue borrowing privileges to residents of communities
who are no longer a certified participant in the State Aid to Public
Libraries program by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
This policy aims to address the issue of the fair and appropriate
use of Carlisle tax dollars spent on public library service by limiting
the reliance of a municipality with a library that is not certified
on the Gleason Public Library and its resources.
Approved 11/04/2003 |
