MBLC Celebrates 125 Years

The Massachusetts Library and Information Network (MLIN) logo¹

The MLIN Gopher is Here!
On October 24, 1994, the Massachusetts Library and Information Network (MLIN) became a reality. "MLIN provides a connection service to all Massachusetts library catalogs available on the Internet. Some 50 million holdings may be browsed. As technology becomes available and more catalogs are added, MLIN will ultimately become a virtual catalog of Massachusetts library holdings with single search access to some 75 million items as well as a unified interlibrary loan system linking all libraries in the state."²

The MBLC celebrated with a “virtual ribbon cutting” with Lt. Governor Paul Cellucci at Cambridge Public Library.²

TODAY: As the Internet became more widely used, the MBLC shifted information into separate websites - the MBLC Agency site, the consumer portal, and the Newsroom.

What else happened in 1994?

• South Africa held its first interracial national election (April 29); Nelson Mandela was elected President.³
• Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked (Jan. 6); three were arrested, including rival Tonya Harding (Jan. 13).³
• The Boston to New York AIDS Ride was founded by Melrose native Dan Palotta. AIDS Rides across the country raised more than $105 million for critical AIDS services and medical research. About half the money raised directly benefited AIDS patients. Boston to New York AIDS Rides continued through 2002.⁴

References:
1. Image from MBLC files.
2. MBLC Notes, 1994.
3. www.infoplease.com [link].
4. AIDSRide - Wikipedia entry [link].