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.