Understanding the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR)

In 2013, the State Library published a blog post about the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR), the official compilation of rules created by Massachusetts state agencies. Since then, access to the CMR has expanded, and the Library has continued to grow its collections, both in print and online. This updated post revisits the topic to provide current information about the CMR and the many ways researchers can explore these resources at the State Library and beyond. 

As we mentioned, the CMR contains the official rules that Massachusetts state agencies create and use to carry out state laws. These regulations cover a wide range of topics, from food safety standards to professional licensing requirements, and are published to ensure transparency and public access to the procedures and policies that affect daily life in the Commonwealth.

The CMR as we know it began in 1976. Prior to that there was no centralized way in which agencies published their regulations. A second edition of the CMR was released in 1978, and the third and current edition was released in 1987. This edition continues to be updated to this day.

How Regulations Are Published

Regulations are filed with the State Publications and Regulations Division of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and published biweekly in the Massachusetts Register. Each issue of the Register includes:

• Notices of proposed regulations and public hearings
• New, amended, and emergency regulations
• Executive Orders and Attorney General Opinions
• Cumulative Tables showing changes since the last codification

What the Numbers Mean

Each regulation is assigned a three-part citation. For example, 105 CMR 125.004:

• Title number (e.g., 105 CMR) designates the agency
• Chapter number (e.g., 105 CMR 125) indicates a subject area
• Section number (e.g., 105 CMR 125.004) pinpoints specific provisions

The first digit of the title number typically corresponds to the Executive Office, while the remaining digits identify the agency itself.

Accessing the CMR at the State Library

The State Library of Massachusetts is a valuable resource for anyone researching Massachusetts regulations. Here's how we can help:

• CMR in Print 
• We maintain a current Reading Room copy of the CMR for quick reference, updated as new regulations are filed.
• Historical Collection and Stacks Copy 
• Our Stacks copy of the CMR includes older versions with the Massachusetts Registers still intact, which is useful for identifying regulatory changes over time.
• Massachusetts Register 
• We have the Massachusetts Register in print, and many issues are available in our digital repository.
• Cumulative Tables 
• We house a comprehensive collection of the Cumulative Tables starting in 1976 to present. The tables list updates made to the CMR and allow researchers to trace when changes were made to specific chapters and sections.
• Pre-Codified Regulations 
• For older regulations issued before the formal CMR codification system began in 1976, we provide access to the pre-codified edition in print at the library, as well as in our digital repository. The pre-codified edition consists of 12 boxes, each containing several folders. The boxes are organized by agency, similar to the way the CMR now contains title numbers. Read on for information about accessing the pre-codified CMR digitally.

Online Access to the CMR

If you can’t visit the Library in person, the following resources provide online access to current and historical regulations:

• State Library’s CMR Research Guide 
• Our research guide provides detailed instructions on how to locate regulations, track changes, and cite regulatory sources.
• State Library Digital Collections 
• Find the latest issue of the Massachusetts Register, plus back issues. You’ll also find the Cumulative Tables in our digital repository. 
• NEW: Access the pre-codified version of the CMR in our digital repository.
• Secretary of State’s Regulations & Publications Division 
• Read about and download the Regulations Manual
• Trial Court Law Libraries’ Online CMR 
• Browse the CMR by agency title or subject on the Trial Court Law Libraries’ webpage.

Whether you’re a legal researcher, student, public policy professional, or just curious about how state government works, the State Library is here to support your research into Massachusetts regulations. Visit us in Room 341 of the Massachusetts State House or contact our reference librarians for assistance at reference.department@mass.gov.


Jessica Shrey
Legal Research Reference Librarian

State Library Newsletter - August Issue

Hello September! Read about everything happening at the State Library in this month's newsletter, out now. Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.

Back to School on Federal Street

September is synonymous with “Back to School” and with that comes the opportunity to share some education related materials in our Collection Spotlight case. This month, our items take us to Federal Street in Boston in 1797, where we are highlighting materials that represent two schools found on that street: Memoir of Mrs. Rowson, published in 1870 and about the founder of a girls school, and Regulations for the Government of the School in Federal Street, published in Boston in 1797. Both Mrs. Rowson’s school and the Federal School came to be not long after Massachusetts passed “An Act To Provide For The Instruction Of Youth, And For The Promotion Of Good Education” in 1789.

Schools in the 1790s would have been segregated by gender, and we know from the language of the Regulations for the Government of the School in Federal Street that this was a school for boys. The small pamphlet is only sixteen pages long and includes thirty articles adopted for the governance of the school and pupils. A notation at the end reads that at a meeting of the proprietors on September 13, 1797 the articles were voted on and adopted. You may notice that some of them are marked with an asterisks, this indicates that these articles are permanent, and do not need to be voted on again in the future. We are displaying the pamphlet open to the two pages that include Articles 3 through 8, which primarily address appropriate school behavior. It appears that the Federal School was rather strict and the students were held to a high standard! Three of the articles are transcribed below:

Article VI: That Silence be considered as an essential preliminary to the business of the day, and that no conversation be permitted in the School, but such as immediately relates to it.

 Article VII: That all kinds of social or private Amusement, during the hours appointed for Study or Instruction, be considered a transgression of the Rules.

 Article VIII*: That any Scholar who shall break a square of glass, or any of the furniture of the Academy, such as desks, benches, &c. shall be required immediately to repair it; or, in default, to pay twice the cost of such repairs.

We doubt that Articles VI and VII would be very popular with students today!

After reading through all the regulations, we tried to find additional information about the school. A search of Federal Street School or even “schools on Federal Street” did not turn up any information. A stamp on the interior pages indicates that the State Library acquired this item on December 29, 1887, so with that information we checked the section in the 1888 annual report that lists additions to the collections, in case that listing included any identifying information. Unfortunately, the annual report did not shed any light, as the pamphlets listing simply reads “School in Federal Street, Regulations for the government of the school. Bost., 1797.” It’s possible that this was a short-lived institution, or not one that was formally established. 

A school on Federal Street that we could find a reference to is Mrs. Susanna Rowson’s Academy for Young Ladies, which also dates to 1797. Susanna Rowson was born in England but immigrated to Boston at age five; she was an actress, author, playwright, and an educator and early proponent of education for females. Over the course of thirty years, she lived in Canada, England, and Philadelphia before returning to Boston 1797. It was at this time that she established the girls school on Federal Street, which was the first of its kind in Boston. We’re displaying her memoir open to the page that describes the school's first year:

On leaving the stage in the spring of 1797, Mrs. Rowson, under the patronage of Mrs. Samuel Smith, began a school in Federal street, and with but a single pupil, Mrs. Smith’s adopted daughter, continued it for one whole term. She was known in Boston only as a novel writer, as an actress – how could children be confided to her care? But the light cannot be hid; her motto was "tant que je puis," and persevering steadily, she came before the close of the scholastic year to number one hundred pupils on her daily roll; and applications were received for more than she could possibly accommodate.

The image of Susanna Rowson shown above is also found in her memoir. The school relocated to Medford and Newton before returning to Boston in 1809.

Beyond these two items, the State Library holds an impressive collection of education focused materials, in part because in its early days as a research library, it was under the care of the Board of Education. From 1849 until 1893, the Secretary of the Board of Education also served as the State Librarian. Check out the links below to read about some of the items that we’ve shared in past years, click here to read through an education timeline, and visit us from September 8 through October 7 to see these two items on display.

Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

Historical Textbooks, 1775 through 1828

"Rules and regulations for the public schools in Quincy: also, some remarks on the due observance of the rules, addressed to parents.” Quincy School Committee, September 1, 1835

“Rules and Regulations to be observed by the Teachers of the Public Schools in Dorchester” and “Order of Exercises at the Dedication of the Building and Installation of the Teacher of the High School” Dorchester Public Schools, 1810 and 1852

Author Talk with Elizabeth Heslop Sheehy

• A Home in Woods Hole: Life and History on Eel Pond (2024) 
• Wednesday, September 17, 2025. 12pm - 1:00pm
• In-person and Virtual event. No registration required.
• State Library of Massachusetts - Room 341, Massachusetts State House
• Livestream on YouTube
• Books available for purchase; $24.99 plus tax; Cash, Venmo, or Credit Cards accepted

The State Library of Massachusetts Author Talks Series returns from summer break on September 17th! We have an exciting lineup of authors as we close out 2025 with speakers in October, November, and December. Bookmark our Mass.Gov page for information/details on upcoming author talk events.

Author Elizabeth Sheehy will be joining us in our historic reading room on Wednesday, September 17th at noon to present her book A Home in Woods Hole: Life and History on Eel Pond. We can’t think of a better book to wrap up summer. Please keep reading for more details on the author and book.

This is an in-person and virtual event. The livestream available on our YouTube channel courtesy of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Broadcast Services. Tune in at noon!

Be sure to sign up for our Author Talks newsletter and follow our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, and X) for the latest information on our visiting authors. If you are unable to attend, the recording will be posted to our YouTube channel to watch anytime - view all past recordings here!

About the book: Woods Hole is an iconic location on Cape Cod; it is home to WHOI or the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Nobska Lighthouse. Author Elizabeth Sheehy traces the history of Woods Hole through a unique perspective. A Home in Woods Hole delves into the lives of Walter Nickerson and Helena Nugent and the house they built over a hundred years ago. It is a family history, a history of a seaside community, and a history of New England through many eras.

About the author: Elizabeth Sheehy is a writer with a passion for local history. She bought a house in 2018 in Woods Hole which inspired her to write and research which resulted in her 2024 book A Home in Woods Hole. Sheehy had a long career as a retail executive but now writes full time. Sheehy holds a degree in history from Trinity College.

As always, this author talk is free and open to all. Assisted listening devices will be made available upon request. If you are able to join us in person for this talk, attendees will be able to participate in a question-and-answer session with the author. Books will be available for purchase; $24.99 plus tax (~$26.55) Cash, Venmo, or Credit Cards via Square accepted.

Any questions or concerns, please email us at AuthorTalks.StateLibrary@mass.gov. For more information on the State Library Author Talks series, please visit our site.

Author Talks Working Group

A Look at Our Government Documents Program in FY25

FY25 has been an exciting year for the Government Documents Department. This fiscal year the Department received roughly 2615 documents; 2508 of those were digital items (95%) while 107 were paper items (5%). Town reports made up the majority (97%) of paper items we received.

December 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the enactment of St.1984 c. 412. This statute, which became codified as M.G.L. 6 § 39B, stipulates that every state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must submit copies of their publications to the State Library. Since its passage in 1984, M. G. L. ch. 6 section 39B has been vital to the State Library’s mission of preserving the legislative history of Massachusetts and ensuring access to the Commonwealth’s public documents.

Turning 40 wasn’t the only major milestone for M.G.L. 6 § 39B. With the passage of chapter 206 of the 2024 Acts, M.G.L. 6 § 39B has been updated! The new legislation takes into account the fact that government documents are increasingly published digitally rather than in hard copy. The original legislation required that 8 hard copies of every published government document be sent to the State Library. It now requires only a single copy (if originally published in hardcopy) or shareable PDF for preservation.

The State Library rung in the New Year with the publication of its first training module on MassAchieve! This module covers the basics of the State Library’s Government Documents Program and advises state employees on what materials to send to the Library for public access and preservation. Since the announcement in our February Newsletter, the module has been made available to the public on the State Library’s YouTube channel.

MyPath on MassAchieve screenshot

The Department has had two interns (not simultaneous) from Simmons University’s MLIS program. Both have been invaluable additions to the Department. They have put together awesome exhibits and written blog posts highlighting the Government Documents collection. Read some of their work here:

• Design of Town Reports by Emily Buff, published July 29, 2024
• Y2K: Crisis Averted by Emily Colson, published April 7, 2025

Check out more blog posts about our Government Documents:

• M.G.L. 6 § 39B Turns 40 and Gets a Glow Up! published December 9, 2024
• SuDoc Numbers and Other Things published January 27, 2025
• Town Report Season: 2025 published June 23, 2025

Maryellen Larkin

Government Documents & Reference Librarian

Lesser Terns Alight in the Library

August marks one more installment in our summer of Audubon shorebirds! We are rounding out the season with the Lesser Tern (plate 319), which is also known as the Least Tern. This moderately sized shorebird is found in Massachusetts on both sandy and gravelly beaches. The Commonwealth's Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has a webpage devoted to the least tern, where we learned that in 2024 there were 89 breeding sites in Massachusetts. Sometimes, the least tern nests alongside the piping plover since they have similar nesting requirements!

 
The least tern has been identified as a species of greatest concern by the Massachusetts State Wildlife Action Plan. You can read all about the tern on the SWAP website, including information about its lifecycle, habitat, and conservation. 

In Audubon's print, the black capped bird is labeled as "adult spring plumage" which is its breeding plumage. Also shown is the young tern, which is more brown.

Visit our reading room from August 12 through September 9 to see the print on display.

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

“Precious Tatters of Silk”

As I’m coming upon my second-year anniversary of working at the State Library, I can’t claim to be new around here; however, there is no shortage of new (to me) special collections items I have the joy of discovering for myself. One of my more recent discoveries is our Civil War regimental battle flag photograph collection.

Regimental battle flags of the 54th and 55th Infantries,
Massachusetts’ first Black regiments to serve in the Civil War.

According to an inscription, the photos were presented to the Commonwealth by the Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Military Order of the Loyal Legion. In 1885, the Loyal Legion was permitted to photograph the many Civil War battle flags borne by Massachusetts’ infantry, cavalry, and artillery units; at the time, the flags were on display in Doric Hall.

I was struck by the number of flags included – more than 160 – and wondered how so many made their way to the State House following the Civil War. I found the answer on the State House Tours website and information published by State House Art Curator Susan Greendyke Lachevre. "The Return of the Colors," shown in Edward Simmons' mural in Memorial Hall, depicts the return of the flags that Governor John A. Andrew presented to the Massachusetts regiments as they departed to fight for the Union. The return ceremony took place on December 22, 1865.

Left: Colors of the 7th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, formed in Taunton.

Center: Flag of the 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, also known as the Harvard Regiment, formed in Readville.

Right: Colors of the 41st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, organized in Lynnfield.

Present day visitors to Memorial Hall can see transparencies of battle flags on display. The original flags are part of the Massachusetts State House Battle Flag Collection, and textile conservators moved them to environmentally controlled archival storage in 1987.

Pictured below are two closeup shots of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry regimental battle flags. Governor Andrew spoke of the regiment, saying, "I know not where, in all of human history, to any given thousand men in arms there has been committed a work at once so proud, so precious, so full of hope and glory." The storied 54th regiment is commemorated with a monument on the Boston Common, and the site is part of Boston’s Black Heritage Trail. You can learn more about the 54th and 55th in our Colonel Alfred Stedman Hartwell Collection.

A news clipping dated October 21, 1885 pasted on the inside of the battle flags’ photo album cover reads,

The Old Bay State’s Tattered Flags

... These precious tatters of silk, stained with smoke and fire, and, in some instances, with the blood of their bearers, continue to be the object of appreciative curiosity to the visitors to the State House. The color which bears the stain of Sergeant Plunkett’s blood, showing where he clasped it with his broken, bleeding arms, is the most admired piece of silk probably in New England. Veterans lead their children up to it to see the stain of the brave Sergeant’s blood, and every day groups of sightseers ask to be shown Sergeant Plunkett’s flag.

There will be more to read on Sergeant Plunkett in a future blog post, as what I found about him while researching necessitates a much deeper dive.


Alyssa Persson
Special Collections Processing Archivist