Central Massachusetts Regional Library System was a multitype

library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...

system serving 244 academic,

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

school A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...

and special libraries in 72 central Massachusetts communities. It was one of six Massachusetts Regional Library Systems. Collectively, CMRLS libraries serve 924,491 people who live, work or study in

Central Massachusetts Central Massachusetts is the geographically central region of Massachusetts. Though definitions vary, most include all of Worcester County and the northwest corner of Middlesex County. Worcester, the largest city in the area and the seat of Worces ...

. Founded in 1963, the library system began as a unit within the City of

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...

municipal government A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

and served public libraries exclusively. In 1997 it became a multitype, independent

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

working with all types of libraries. Nearly all services were provided free of charge, with major funding through a contract with the Commonwealth of

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

administered by the

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (est.1890) is a state agency that supports libraries in Massachusetts. The governor appoints each commissioner. The current board consists of librarians, academics and library trustees: Carol B. Caro ...

. Due to the collapse of state funding, it was merged along with four other Massachusetts Regional Library Systems into the

Massachusetts Library System The Massachusetts Library System was established in 2010. The system provides the following core services: consulting, training & professional development, cooperative purchasing, research & development, summer library program, and the following ser ...

on July 1, 2010.

Purpose

The Central Massachusetts Regional Library System promoted and supported resource sharing,

professional development Professional development is learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such as academic degrees to formal coursework, attending conferences, and informal learning Informal learning is characterized "by a low degree of planning and ...

, collaboration, and

innovation Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a new or changed entity ...

among all types of libraries in Central Massachusetts. Its services strengthened member libraries and staff, creating a collaborative network that is essential to a high quality and accessible continuum of library services for those who live, work, or study in the region. Public libraries typically receive less than 2% of municipal funding. Academic libraries fare better, but school libraries much worse. The Central Massachusetts Regional Library System helped libraries to use their resources more effectively and serve their clientele better than they could alone. Its vision was to "create synergy among libraries to enrich the quality of life in Central Massachusetts." Its

capacity building Capacity building (or capacity development, capacity strengthening) is the improvement in an individual's or organization's facility (or capability) "to produce, perform or deploy". The terms ''capacity building'' and ''capacity development'' ha ...

and system development activities were grouped into three categories: resource sharing and collection support; reference services and support; staff and program development. In addition, the library system also ran a temporary staffing service called BiblioTemps, which was suspended in May 2010 and restored by its successor, the Massachusetts Library System, in 2012.

References

{{reflist

External links

Central MA Regional Library System

MA Board of Library Commissioners

Massachusetts Library System

BiblioTemps
Libraries in Massachusetts 1963 establishments in Massachusetts