Lending to Residents of Decertified Libraries

The Hubbard Memorial Library extends reciprocal borrowing privileges to residents of all communities meeting minimum standards for certified libraries as established by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MGL, Ch. 78, Sec. 19B) to:

“be open to residents of the Commonwealth... and lend books to other libraries in the Commonwealth and extend privileges to holders of cards issued by other public libraries in the Commonwealth on a reciprocal basis.”

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 Commissioners will confirm the municipality's loss of certification at their next regularly scheduled Board meeting.

It is, therefore, the policy of the Hubbard Memorial Library to discontinue borrowing privileges to residents of communities who terminate library service or reduce hours of opening to below a reasonable level for the size of that community as determined by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Once the municipality has lost certification, it cannot be recertified as meeting the minimum standards of public library service for State Aid to Public Libraries (as set forth in MGL c.78, s. 19A and 19B, 605 CMR 4.0, and current budget language) until the municipality's library has been meeting the standards for one complete fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) and proper application for State Aid to Public Libraries is made to the Board of Library Commissioners.

The Library Board of Trustees will agree to reinstate borrowing privileges once a library has been recertified by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

The only exception to this policy shall be that residents of a community whose public library has been decertified, who submit written proof that they are Ludlow taxpayers, shall retain full borrowing privileges at the Hubbard Memorial Library.

The Board of Library Trustees, Library Director, and the municipal executives of the affected community will be notified in writing by the Library Board of Trustees when reciprocal borrowing privileges have been terminated.

The Library Board of Trustees agrees to reinstate borrowing privileges to all affected borrowers once a library is re-certified.