Skip to main content

MBLC Celebrates 125 Years

1998

Western Massachusetts Regional Library System book delivery truck

Western Massachusetts Regional Library System (WRMLS) book delivery truck1


In 1998: The statewide interlibrary loan (ILL) net lender offset program was initiated.
To encourage statewide lending, this MBLC program helped offset the cost of interlibrary loan (ILL) transactions between members of different regions. A library was a "Statewide ILL Net Lender" when the amount of materials it lent to libraries outside of its own regional system was greater than the amount of materials it borrowed from the other regional library systems.2
TODAY: The program was discontinued in FY 2003 after huge funding reductions to MBLC Account 9506 (Technology and Resource Sharing). Funding levels plummeted from $3,838,471 in FY 2002 to $341,811 in FY 2004.

In 1998: The Board set a legislative agenda priority of increasing State Aid to Public Libraries from $6.8 to $10.8 million.2
TODAY: From FY2010 through FY2014, State Aid to Public Libraries funding was $6,823,657. For FY2015, it was increased to $9.0 million.

What else happened in 1998?

  • April 10: The Good Friday Accord was reached in Northern Ireland. On April 22, the Irish Parliament backed the peace agreement.3
  • May 3: Many European countries agreed to adopt the Euro.3
  • December 19: The U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Clinton along party lines on two charges, perjury and obstruction of justice.3

References:
1. Image from MBLC files.
2. MBLC Annual Report, 1998.
3. www.infoplease.com [link].