Refer to the following documents and websites throughout the planning process.
At the time of application for a Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program grant, you need to have town/city votes to:
These last two elements may be combined into one article or separated into two depending on your assessment of what will work best in your town/city.
Standard Grant: For Planning & Design, approval is given for planning activities and design work through the MPLCP Level of Design (see 605 CMR 6.08 (2)(a)).
Small Population Grant: For Planning & Design, approval is given for pre-planning and planning activities as well as design work through the MPLCP Level of Design (see 605 CMR 6.08 (2)(a)).
The definition of an “approved public library project” as found in the MPLCP regulations is as follows:
An undertaking for the planning, alteration, construction, demolition, reconstruction, renovation, addition, expansion, extension, or rehabilitation of a public library facility as approved by a majority vote of the town at a town meeting or by a majority vote of a city council, with the approval of the mayor, in the case of a city or in a municipality having a town council form of government, by vote of the town council. (605 CMR 6.02)
These approvals are ideally obtained by the May 31, 2024 application deadline, but, given diverse town meeting schedules, the absolute deadline is by Friday, June 16, 2024.
The development of articles for individual projects should be based on local Town Bylaws, the advice of the Moderator, Town Clerk, Select Persons and/or Counsel.
*Note: you must secure approval to “apply for, accept and expend” the grant, not just “apply.”