Trustees: Laws, Bylaws and Charters - A Trustee Primer

Chapter 78 is the statutory authority for public libraries in MA. Trustees should be familiar with all of Chapter 78, but especially with these sections: 

The OCPF is an independent state agency administering MA General Law, Chapter 55, the campaign finance law and Chapter 55C, the limited public financing program for statewide candidates. 

Library Trustees may find the fact sheets and getting started links useful. 

Most library boards are subject to Massachusetts open meeting laws (MGL Chapter 30A, sections 18-25). Some corporation and association libraries may be exempt from the open meeting law, depending on certain factors.

If you are unsure of your board's status, please contact the Division of Open Government at 617-963-2540 for guidance from the Attorney General's Office. Even if a board is exempt, trustees should nonetheless consider following the open meeting law model as it provides an excellent forum for conducting library business.

For detailed information beyond what's included in the MBLC Trustee Handbook, refer to the resources below.

• Accessibility of Public Buildings by Handicapped Persons (ch.22 §13A)
• Anti-Discrimination Law (ch.151B)
• Charitable Corporations (ch.180 §§1-11C, 26-26B) 
• Confidentiality of Library Records (ch.78 §7 ; ch.4 §7(26) ; ch.66 §10) 
• Conflict of Interest (ch.268A §§17-25) 
• Crimes in/against libraries:
  • Destruction or Mutilation of Library Materials (ch.266 §§99A, 100) 
  • Theft of Library Materials (ch.266 §§99, 99A) 
  • Disturbance of Libraries (ch.272 §41) 
  • Harmful to Minors Act (ch.272 §§28, 31) 
• Funds:
  • General Receipt of Funds (ch.44 §53)
  • Receipt of Grants or Gifts (ch.44 §53A) 
  • Replacement Funds (for lost or damaged materials) (ch.44 §53) 
  • Revolving Funds (ch.44 §53E1/2) 
  • Trust Funds (ch.44 §§54, 55B) 
• Labor Relations: Public Employees (ch.150E) 
• Liability (ch.258) 
• Public Libraries: 
  • Establishment of Free Public Libraries (ch.78 §§1, 7-13) 
  • Trustees of Town Libraries (ch.78 §§10-13) 
  • Association/Corporation Libraries (ch.78 §§1, 13) 
  • Board of Library Commissioners (ch.78 §§14-15, 19) 
  • State Aid to Cities and Towns for Free Public Libraries (ch.78 §§19A,B)
  • Written Policy for Selection of Materials (ch.78 §33) 
  • Written Employment Contracts with Library Directors (ch.78 §34) 
• Open Meeting Law (ch.30A §§18-25) 
• Public Records (ch.66 §§1-18)