Monday, July 14, 2025

Libby at the State Library

Summer’s here, but if you’re anything like me, reading isn’t just a summer thing--it’s a year-round, everyday habit (occupational hazard, maybe?). I’m usually reading a minimum of at least two books at a time and always on the lookout for something new—whether it’s from a favorite author, someone I’ve just discovered, or on a favorite topic. If you haven’t tried it yet, Goodreads is a great way to keep track of what you’ve read, what you want to put on your TBR list, and get some pretty great recommendations too.

In last week's blog post, we covered how to request books from our print collections. But honestly? I don’t love lugging around multiple books everywhere I go. That’s why I’m a little obsessed with my Kindle—it’s always with me, whether I’m commuting, traveling, or just reading at home.

Wondering where I get all those eBooks? I use the OverDrive Libby app (download from your favorite app store)! In the app I can borrow eBooks (or audiobooks and even e-magazines if you prefer!), place holds and keep them coming straight to my e-reader. Super easy, super convenient, and best of all, super lightweight! What you may not know is that your State Library card entitles you to borrow eContent (books, audiobooks, and magazines) from not just our CW MARS network libraries, but also five other partner library networks in Massachusetts as well as the Boston Public Library. By adding these libraries to your Libby account, you can search, browse, and check out items from their digital collections. Here’s how to add those libraries in the Libby app:

  • Open the Libby app
  • Tap the menu icon (☰)
  • Scroll down and tap "Add Library"
  • Search for and select any of the following:
    • CLAMS
    • Minuteman Library Network
    • NOBLE
    • Old Colony Library Network
    • SAILS
    • Boston Public Library
  • Tap "Sign In With My Card"
  • Expand the list and choose “CW MARS Patrons”
  • Enter your library card number information and password [Forgot your password? Reset it in our online catalog]
  • Tap "Next" to start browsing that network’s collection
  • Repeat these steps to add more networks and the Boston Public Library, Libby will remember them for you!

Then just use Libby’s search feature to look up a specific author or title—or if you’re in the mood to browse, click on the buttons for “newest” or “popular” for some great picks. While you’re exploring, you can switch between different library networks by tapping the little library card icon on a book’s page.

Adding all these collections gives you way more options for placing holds or borrowing, which means less waiting around for the books you want! Libby even shows you which libraries have a copy, how long the wait is, and if you’re lucky, you might even find one that’s available to borrow right away! Questions? Need help? Contact us at reference.department@mass.gov


Judy Carlstrom
Head of Technical Services





Thursday, July 10, 2025

Spot a Sandpiper in the Library!

Our summer of Audubon shorebirds continues this month with a depiction of the Semipalmated Sandpiper (plate 405). Interestingly, this is one of thirteen sandpipers included in Birds of America! With so many to choose from, we picked the semipalmated sandpiper because it is one of the most commonly found small sandpipers in Massachusetts.


The Commonwealth's Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has a page devoted to the semipalmated sandpiper, where we learned that it is species of greatest conservation need, due in part to a vulnerability caused by a reduction in their breeding ground from climate change and beach erosion. But even with their declining numbers, they are still often found on sandy Massachusetts shorelines, so you might just spot one on your next beach trip. They move fast and are tiny, so you will have to be on your toes!

If you want to guarantee seeing a semipalmated sandpiper, then plan your visit to see our displayed print. It will be on view from July 8 through August 12 in our reading room! 

Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

Monday, July 7, 2025

CWMARS at the State Library

You may have read our posts about Interlibrary Loan at the State Library. In case you missed them, or in case you want a quick recap: full-time, permanent state employees can request books via Interlibrary Loan (ILL) by filling out a form or by emailing interlibrary.loan@mass.gov. ILL, a staff-mediated service, can only be used to request work-related materials. What do you do then, if you’re looking to read that New York Times Best-Seller you heard about in the news? What if you’re looking for a light beach read to take on vacation with you?

This is where the CWMARS network comes in! CWMARS, or Central and Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing, is a network of 165+ libraries from around the Commonwealth who have partnered together to create a set of shared resources. If the State Library doesn’t own that beach read you’re interested in, perhaps another CWMARS library owns it. You’ll simply search for that title in our catalog and place a hold on it via your library account. It will then be delivered right to the State Library for you to pick up.

You can request titles in several different formats including physical books, e-books, audiobooks, Kindle, large print, and more. Before you start, you’ll need to request a library card from the State Library. You can do that using our online form found here. Once you have a card, go to our online catalog and log in with your State Library credentials. Now you’re ready to start searching for your favorite books!

Use the search bar at the top of the catalog to search for a title, keyword, author, or more. Once you find an item you’re interested in, click on that title and you’ll be brought to that item’s record. There you will see a “Place Hold” button. Click on that and you’ll be prompted to fill out a brief request form to officially place your hold.


Once you place a hold on a title, go to your library account and take a look at your Pendings Holds. There you’ll be able to see how many people are “in line” ahead of you for the item before it will ship to the State Library for you. You can see this by looking at the “position” of the hold on your title. If there isn’t anyone else using this book ahead of you, the lending library will process your hold request and update the status to “In Transit,” meaning the book is on its way to the State Library.


You can also cancel a hold and suspend a hold. Suspending a hold allows you to select a specific date that you would like your hold to activate. If you suspend your hold, this essentially puts you back in the active hold line on the date you chose. For example, on the date you choose to have your hold activate, if there are already 10 people “in line” for the book ahead of you, you will be placed 11th in line on that date. This is a great feature to use if you already have a couple of books you’d like to read and know you won’t have time for a new one if it arrives. Essentially, suspending a hold lets you defer the arrival date of your item, while not having to remember to place that hold later.

Our YouTube video provides a great summary of how to request a library card, search for books, and place holds, as does our previous blog post. Questions? Contact us at reference.department@mass.gov.


Jessica Shrey
Legal Research Reference Librarian


Thursday, July 3, 2025

State Library Newsletter - July Issue

Happy July! Even though it's the summer, it's still a busy time at the State Library! Come by to visit us to see our new exhibit and various display cases, described here in our newsletter! You can also read about some of our intern projects, catch up on our Author Talk series, and more.

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.



Monday, June 30, 2025

Hereby Declaring the Declaration of Independence on Display!

Happy July! As the country looks to celebrate Independence Day, we are joining in by sharing a timely item in our Collection Spotlight case. Visit us throughout the month to see a version of the Declaration of Independence that was printed as part of The Perpetual Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1789.

For previous July celebrations, we’ve shared two other versions of the Declaration found in our collection. Both of these versions were printed less than two weeks after the Declaration was ratified by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.

  • A broadside version that was printed by Ezekiel Russell in Salem on July 17, 1776. Read more in our blog post.
  • A newspaper version that was printed for The New-England Chronicle by Edward E. Powers and Nathaniel Willis on July 18, 1776. Read more in our blog post.

The version displayed this month was printed a few years later, in 1789 by Adams and Nourse, who were the official printers to the General Court. It is in a volume of the Perpetual Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which, as stated on the title page, were published by the order of the General Court and cover the period from the commencement of the Constitution in October 1780, to the last Wednesday in May, 1789. Prefacing the laws are reprintings of a number of foundational documents. In addition to the displayed Declaration of Independence, there are also printings of the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution of the Commonwealth, the Treaty of Peace between Great Britain and America, and the Constitution of the United States. 

Following the documents, the laws are organized into seven categories: Part 1: The Public and Private Rights of Persons; Part 2: Real and Personal Estate; Part 3: Courts and Forms of Process; Part 4: Criminal Matters; Part 5: Trade and Commerce; Part 6: Taxes, etc.; Part 7: Militia Regulations. It ends with a section of "miscellaneous." This is a comprehensive source representing the state of Massachusetts laws from 1780 through 1789, and if you want to peruse the full text, a digitized copy is available through the Internet Archive.

Visit us from July 1 through August 5 to see this version of the Declaration on display, and best wishes from the State Library for a festive and safe Independence Day!


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

Monday, June 23, 2025

Town Report Season: 2025

It’s that time of year again! Across the Commonwealth towns are preparing their yearly town reports and sending copies to the State Library, per M.G.L. chapter 40, sections 49 and 50. Although we receive town reports throughout the year, there’s always an uptick towards the end of the fiscal year.

2024 Town Reports from the towns of Waren, Cohasset, Belchertown, Winchendon, and Wrentham

The State Library collects both physical and digital copies of these reports. The physical copies get shelved in a special room in the stacks which we refer to as the “Town Report Room.” This room contains centuries of Massachusetts town history – I’ve included some photos of our older volumes for you to enjoy – I’m only now noticing that I need to fix the shelving for Marlborough . . . oops! Anyway, ignoring that for right now, all the digital versions we have of these reports get uploaded to our Digital Collections Repository.

Town Reports from the town of Marlborough, dates 1897-1908

Left: Town Reports from the town of Malden, dates 1898-1902
Right: Town Reports from the town of Hyde Park, dates 1869-1911

You can read more about the Town Reports at the State Library by reading our past blog posts:

Visit our Massachusetts State and Local Resources in the State Library page to learn more about State Documents Collection!

Thank you to all the Town Clerk’s Offices who have sent their 2024 reports to us!

Update: After scurrying back to the Town Report Room to reorient the Marlborough Town Reports and curse whoever shelved them that way (probably me), I realized that the volumes are actually right side up and the titles along the spines were printed the other way. Some librarian of yester-year, probably opting for a more consistent and aesthetically pleasing look, placed the call numbers accordingly!


Maryellen Larkin, Government Documents Librarian


Monday, June 16, 2025

Reference Tip: Legal Dictionaries

In any library, a reference collection will have dictionaries. At the State Library, the reference section is stocked with legal and general dictionaries for your legislative research.


An essential resource for any law library is Black’s Law Dictionary. The first edition was published in 1891 by author, lawyer, and legal scholar Henry Campbell Black (1860-1927). While not the first legal dictionary to exist, Black’s became popular for being concise and comprehensive. A second edition was published in 1910 with more terms and case citations. In 1933 a third edition was released. The 1933 dictionary was the first published after Black’s death with a new title and the title still used today; the first two editions were titled A Law Dictionary.

The State Library has in its collection the 1933 edition. This edition also includes the preface that Black had written for the first edition and the second edition. The third edition was compiled by editors from West Publishing. Black’s Law Dictionary is now in its 12th edition (2024) and it remains the most used and cited legal dictionary. The current edition is available on Westlaw as well as past editions back to the 4th revised (1968).

Legal dictionaries such as Black’s are a great, fast resource to pull when coming across an unfamiliar legal term or phrase. Historic dictionaries can also be used as a resource for legislative history. When tracing a statute or interpreting intent, historic legal dictionaries provide valuable context by revealing how specific words or terms were understood and used at the time a law was written.

In addition to historic dictionaries, the State Library has in its reference collection the following:

A special thank you to our Preservation Librarian for repairing and preserving both the 1933 dictionary and the sixth edition; both copies had wear and tear from use, which is a testament to the importance of Black’s permanent position on the reference shelf.


April Pascucci
Legislative Reference Librarian


Thursday, June 12, 2025

Catch an Oystercatcher in the Library!

With summer and beach days on the horizon, it's time to share some shorebirds in our Audubon case! This month, we're displaying the Pied Oyster-catcher (plate 223). A fun addition to this depiction is an as-seen-from-above sketch of its head and long beak; the only other time that we've seen this addition to Audubon's prints is in the American Flamingo


According to the Bird Observer website, American Oystercatchers are migratory shorebird that breed from Maine all the way to Florida. Here in Massachusetts, 25% of the state’s oystercatchers have nested on Nantucket, 20% on Martha’s Vineyard, 15% on the Bristol County coast of Buzzards Bay, and 16% in Boston Harbor (link). Maybe you will spot one, with its bright-colored and prominent beak, on your next beach trip!

Visit us from June 11 through July 9 to catch the oystercatcher in our reading room! And check out our previously featured shorebirds here: piping plover, herring gull, brown pelican.


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

Monday, June 9, 2025

New Exhibit at the State Library: The Spongy Moth Infestation in Massachusetts and Beyond

The State Library of Massachusetts is pleased to announce our latest exhibit: The Spongy Moth Infestation in Massachusetts and Beyond, now on view outside the Library’s entrance. This exhibit highlights the history, impact, and management of one of the Commonwealth’s most destructive forest pests. 

Formerly known as the gypsy moth, the spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) is an invasive species with deep roots in Massachusetts history. First introduced to the state in the late 1860s, this insect has caused widespread damage to forests and landscapes for more than a century. Known for its destructive caterpillars that strip trees of their leaves, the spongy moth remains a threat to local ecosystems during periodic outbreaks.

This exhibit traces the story of the spongy moth in Massachusetts, from its accidental arrival to modern-day control efforts. Visitors will find historical documents, scientific illustrations, photographs, and state reports that show how the Commonwealth has monitored and responded to this pest over time.

Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a history lover, or simply curious about one of Massachusetts' most notorious insects, we invite you to explore this fascinating and impactful chapter of our state’s environmental history.

View the exhibit during our open hours, Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 5:00. You’ll find it in the hallway outside of the Library (room 341 of the State House). This exhibit is on display now through September, so be sure to visit us to learn more about the spongy moth’s impact on Massachusetts and beyond.


Exhibits Working Group

Thursday, June 5, 2025

State Library Newsletter - June Issue

Welcome June! It's a busy month at the State Library, and you can read all about it in our latest newsletter. This month, we have displays, events, and general information about some of June's many distinctions: Pride Month, Juneteenth, and the Battle of Bunker Hill. And more!

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.




Monday, June 2, 2025

For Juneteenth – The Emancipation Proclamation

This month, our Collection Spotlight case recognizes Juneteenth, the federal holiday that commemorates the ending of slavery with the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas on June 19, 1865. We are displaying the copy of the Emancipation Proclamation found in our collection, which was published as a pamphlet by the War Department on January 2, 1863, and distributed to the Army.

In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862 stating his intention to free all individuals held as slaves in secessionist states on January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation itself was then issued on January 1, 1863. The version that we hold in our collection was published the following day by the War Department with the notation that “The following Proclamation of the President is published for the information and government of the Army and all concerned.” The proclamation was relevant to the War Department because also within it was the announcement that freed Black men could enlist in the Union Army and Navy. Later in January, following the enactment of this provision, Massachusetts governor John Andrew received permission from the U.S. War Department to raise a Black regiment as part of the Union Army. Enlistment began in February, and those who joined became the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. You can read more about those regiments, and see some photographs of enlisted soldiers, in previous blog post.

Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19, 1865, the date that marks the official end of slavery, when General Gordon Granger and Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and enforced the Emancipation Proclamation, over two years after it was initially issued. Since then, Black communities have gathered on that date to celebrate Juneteenth as an Independence Day. Part of those celebrations sometimes includes a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, which is why we have chosen to display it this month. You can read more about Juneteenth on the National Museum of African American History & Culture website, and view the original Emancipation Proclamation at the National Archives.

Visit us from June 3 through July 1 to see the Emancipation Proclamation pamphlet on display. Though only the first page of the Emancipation Proclamation can be exhibited, we have included facsimiles of the subsequent two pages. Also on display is a copy of the official proclamation issued by Governor Charlie Baker in 2020, which established Juneteenth Independence Day as a state holiday. The following year, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Silence Dogood and The New-England Courant


Dearest Gentle Reader,

Lady Whistledown might run the rumor-mill of a fictionalized, Regency Era London in the Bridgerton series, but did you know that colonial Boston had its own version of Whistledown? Between April 2nd, 1722 and October 8th, 1722, a mysterious person under the penname Silence Dogood (pronounced “do good”) submitted fourteen letters to the Boston-based newspaper, The New-England Courant, which published them for the rest of Boston to read.

In her missives, Dogood routinely provided commentary on various aspects of New England society, as she noted in one of her early letters:

“… I intend to proceed, bestowing now and then a few gentle Reproofs on those who deserve them, not forgetting at the same time to applaud those whose Actions merit Commendation. And here I must not forget to invite the ingenious Part of your Readers, particularly those of my own Sex to enter into a Correspondence with me, assuring them, that their Condescension in this Particular shall be received as a Favour, and accordingly acknowledged.” – Silence Dogood, The New-England Courant, April 30, 1722.

Charity, education, and even women’s fashion were just some of the topics she treated. Though writing with a satirical angle, she broached topics which were highly relevant to the social-political climate of the day – such as the dangers of mingling of religious power with political power: “A Man compounded of Law and Gospel, is able to cheat a whole Country with his Religion, and then destroy them under Colour of Law” (Dogood, The New-England Courant, July 16-23, 1722.). An even more precarious topic she tackled was freedom of speech. In one of her letters, she used a lengthy quotation about free speech which she had taken from the London Journal to comprise the entirety of her letter’s body. The quote opens with “Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as publick Liberty, without Freedom of Speech; which is the Right of every Man, as far as by it, he does not hurt or controul the Right of another.” Proceeded only by a brief salutation and an even more succinct valediction, the passage in that week’s entry must have seemed to her colonial readers as Dogood’s pointed support of freedom of speech and the press. More savvy readers might have picked up on the fact that this letter was published after the arrest and imprisonment of the newspaper’s owner (and Dogood’s principal addressee, “Author of the New-England Courant”), James Franklin.

Unlike Julia Quinn’s fictional writer, Silence Dogood was more than willing to share details about her life. In her first two letters to the Courant, she divulged that she was a reverend’s widow, a mother to three children, and not against marrying a second time (provided her prospective beaux measure up to certain standards). These small crumbs were not enough to satisfy her readers, however, and speculation about her identity continued – with some people claiming to know her, as Dogood herself observed in one of her letters:

"... I so far indulg’d in my self the Humour of the Town in walking abroad, as to continue from my Lodgings two or three Hours later than usual ... I met indeed with the common Fate of Listeners, (who hear no good of themselves,) but from a Consciousness of my Innocence, receiv’d it with a Satisfaction beyond what the Love of Flattery and the Daubings of a Parasite could produce. The Company who rally’d me were about Twenty in Number, of both Sexes; and tho’ the Confusion of Tongues (like that of Babel) which always happens among so many impetuous Talkers, render’d their Discourse not so intelligible as I could wish, I learnt thus much, That one of the Females pretended to know me, from some Discourse she had heard at a certain House before the Publication of one of my Letters; adding, That I was a Person of an ill Character, and kept a criminal Correspondence with a Gentleman who assisted me in Writing. One of the Gallants clear’d me of this random Charge, by saying, That tho’ I wrote in the Character of a Woman, he knew me to be a Man; But, continu’d he, he has more need of endeavouring a Reformation in himself, than spending his Wit in satyrizing others.” – Silence Dogood, The New-England Courant, September 24, 1722.

Opinion on Dogood was clearly divided, as this overheard conversation shows, yet her column drew in readers who submitted correspondences addressed to her in the Courant.
Front page of The New-England Courant, Issue No. 43, May 21-28, 1722.
Image source: HathiTrust
But who was the author behind the penname? The true identity of colonial New England’s sassiest widow was none other than one of our country’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin, who was sixteen at the time, concocted Dogood as a means of getting published in the Courant, something which the owner, Franklin’s older brother James, wouldn’t allow him to do. Although young Benjamin’s stint as Silence Dogood was short-lived, these letters remain a highly entertaining resource for anyone researching Franklin and society in 18th century America. You can access more digitized issues of The New-England Courant on HathiTrust here. If you want to see more of the Dogood articles – check out the Massachusetts Historical Society’s digital project about them here. Transcriptions of the Dogood articles, as well as other works by Benjamin Franklin, are also available here.

If you would like to learn more about Franklin, Dogood, and colonial press – check out these books in the recommended reading list:

Please note: these books are from other libraries in the CW Mars network, if you have a library card with the State Library, you can request these books through our online catalog.

Happy reading!

Maryellen Larkin, Government Documents & Reference Librarian

References:
The Papers of Benjamin Franklin

Monday, May 19, 2025

Author Talk with Omo Moses


The State Library of Massachusetts Author Talks Series presents Omo Moses as our June speaker. Omo will be joined by his mother Dr. Janet Moses!

Omo Moses, photo by Early Futures and Dr. Janet Moses, photo by Kristen Joy Emack


Please join us at noon in our historic reading room or tune in virtually; the event will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel courtesy of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Broadcast Services.

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: The White Peril is the story of author Omo Moses. Moses grew up in Cambridge, MA in the 1980s after his family moved back to the U.S. from Tanzania. For Moses, being back in the states would be the first time he encountered racial injustice. The White Peril is much more than a coming-of-age story, it is the story of the black experience. Moses not only recounts his personal journey but includes the perspectives from his great-grandfather’s sermons and the writings from his father, noted Civil Rights activist Bob Moses.

For this event, Omo will be joined by his mother, Dr. Janet Moses, who will provide her own perspective on their family history. Read Dr. Moses’ bio below:

Born in 1942, Bronx native Janet Jemmott completed the 1963-1964 year teaching social studies in one of Harlem's middle schools and in the summer of 1964 joined the ranks of The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee in Mississippi and later in Alabama to register African Americans to vote. Several years later, she and Civil Rights leader Bob Moses moved to rural Tanzania where Janet taught English and Bob taught math. In 1976 the Moses family returned to the United States and Janet entered the University of Boston Medical School. She worked as a pediatrician at M.I.T until retiring in 2004.

In 1996 she was awarded the President's Award at MIT for her service in support of the work of The Algebra Project in Cambridge. In 2021 she was one of the founding organizers of the Bob Moses Legacy Conference Series. The conference aims to continue Bob's legacy by heightening national awareness of mass incarceration and the crisis in education - particularly as it affects Black and Latino communities. Dr. Moses is a very proud mother of four, and a doting grandmother of seven. Janet continues to act in an advisory role to The Young People's Project, a peer-to-peer math literacy offshoot of The Algebra Project.

About the author:
Omo Moses is an author, activist, entrepreneur, and educator. He is the Founder and CEO of MathTalk; an education technology company focused on making math accessible and enjoyable for all. Omo grew up in Cambridge, MA with his four siblings. He attended University of Pittsburgh and George Washington University on basketball scholarships where he majored in mathematics and minored in creative writing. He is the former Executive Director and a founding member of the Young People’s Project; producer of the award-winning documentary, Finding Our Folk, which features the Grammy-nominated Hot 8 Brass Band; and author of two books, Sometimes We Do (2019) and The White Peril (2025). He is the father of Johari and Kamara Moses.

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; $27.95 - cash, card, and Venmo/CashApp/Zelle 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

Monday, May 12, 2025

Common Questions: Reference Department Edition

Have you ever been curious about what a Reference Librarian does? Here at the State Library, our Reference Librarians wear many hats and are involved in several different working groups and projects. When it comes down to it though, we are here to take care of the day-to-day reference questions the library receives. In this week’s blog post, we’d like to highlight some of the more common reference questions the Reference Department receives on a daily basis, in no particular order.

Question 1:
How do I find the articles of incorporation for my town?

We’ve had this question a few times and wanted to shed some light on how to find the answer. In short, you’re going to search the Acts and Resolves in our digital repository to find the act that incorporated your town. For example, here is the act that incorporated Clarksburg, MA, which was approved March 2, 1798.

1979 Chap. 0076, An Act to Incorporate A Gore Of Land, Lying North Of Adams In The County Of Berkshire Into A Town By The Name Of Clarksburg

To find this, we first need to visit the Acts & Resolves community in our digital repository. You’ll see an area that says “Click here to search the contents of this community.” Click on that link and you’ll be brought to a page where you can enter a search phrase into the search box. In this case, we’re searching for “incorporate Clarksburg”


You may have to scroll through the results a bit to find an Act with a title that sounds relevant to what you’re looking for.

Question 2:

Were there any changes to a state regulation during a specific time period? 102 CMR 3.00 was amended in 1985. I have a copy of the regulations from 1979. I am trying to determine whether there were any changes in the years between 1979-1984.

For this question, we’ll have to do some research using the Cumulative Tables found in the Massachusetts Register. We’ll search the Cumulative Tables in our digital repository starting with 1976--the year CMR as we know it first existed.

In this case, I searched for “102 CMR” within the PDF file of the Cumulative Tables and found 12 instances. Not all 12 instances include section 3.00, which means there weren’t any changes to 102 CMR 3.00 in those years. For the curious researcher, 102 CMR 3.0 was amended on these dates:

09/04/1987, 01/01/1993, 12/01/1993, 06/30/1995 (Emergency Regulation), 10/06/1995, and 09/20/1996.

You can find more information on doing regulatory research by looking at our guide

Question 3:

I’m looking for transcripts from a specific committee and/or during a specific time period. Does the State Library have these in its collections?

When we get this question, we always tell patrons that tracking down transcripts in Massachusetts is tricky. In the history of the General Court, there has never been an official transcriber. If a committee were to have a hearing transcript or minutes, it is not mandated to come into the collections of the State Library. They could also end up at the Massachusetts State Archives with their respective committee files.

If we do have materials related to a hearing, you have to search our catalog and digital repository using a keyword search to find them. For example, searching for terms like: public hearing, transcript, and the specific topic - like deputy auditor or election dispute. While actual committee documents may not come up, you might find other helpful documents.

Be sure to take a look at our blog post for more information about searching for committee files.

Do you have a question of your own? Reach out to our team of Reference librarians at reference.department@mass.gov or stop by the library Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.


Jessica Shrey
Legal Research Reference Librarian


Thursday, May 8, 2025

Magnolias and Cuckoos - Oh My!

From flowers, to leaves, and even weeds, everything is blooming in May. In keeping with that theme, a magnolia blossom is taking center stage in this month's featured Audubon print! In fact, the subject of the print, the Black-billed Cuckoo, almost seems to blend in with its surroundings in deference to the Great Magnolia (MAGNOLIA GRANDIFLORA). In this print (plate 32) the male (right) and the female (left) are shown in the branches of the blooming magnolia tree. Audubon even illustrated the magnolia blossom in three different phases; closed, in full bloom, and on its way out. In warmer climates, magnolias bloom as early as March, though here in the northeast they don't bloom until late April, and you might even spot them as late as May.


The brown feathers of the cuckoo almost camouflage it into the surrounding foliage, which might have been an intentional choice. According to the Audubon Field Guide, the cuckoo is described as "slipping furtively through leafy thickets, this slim, long-tailed bird is heard more often than seen." Read more about this elusive bird and hear its birdcall on the Field Guide website, and visit us from May 6 though June 10 to see the print on display in our reading room.


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

Monday, May 5, 2025

Unfolding History: Highway Maps and State Library Discoveries

Believe it or not, the State Library recently received the 2025 Massachusetts Official Transportation Map—in paper! Yes, a tangible, foldable, hold-in-your-hands map! A paper map in 2025? In this digital age of Google maps, when was the last time anyone actually used one? They should only be charming relics of the past to frame and hang on a wall, right? Not to mention the fact that once unfolded, one could never, ever, refold the map to its original state!

Naturally, my brain queued up Holiday Road and I was “transported” back to my childhood and heading to my family’s annual two week stay at the Connecticut shore in our station wagon, however much I begged to go to Cape Cod instead! This nostalgic detour took me “down the road” where I found some interesting older highway maps that the Department of Transportation’s Highway Division has made available on their website. In fact, the State Library also has many of these and other maps in its collections which we are working to add to our digital repository.

Road map of Massachusetts from 1931 (MassDOT archives)

So, what else does the State Library have, you might ask? As part of the Mapping Massachusetts and Atlas digitization projects, the State Library has scanned many of its transportation-related resources, chronicling the evolution of the state’s roads and infrastructure. The historical atlases reveal not only highways but also the homes, businesses, and landmarks that once lined them. Want to see if your town or city is included? Explore our DSpace digital repository or browse our Flickr site.

You’ll also find the Annual Reports of the Highway Division in DSpace, including the first report from 1892, when an agent, Mr. C. L. Weeks, was sent on a mission “to traverse six hundred miles of highways, including portions of every county of the Commonwealth, except Nantucket [in order to] obtain a photographic record [to] present in a most unquestionable way the actual state of the principal thoroughfares in various parts of the Commonwealth.” The photos from his journey? You can see them in our repository!

Photograph of the road from Cottage City to Vineyard Haven,
 station no. 284, Cottage City [1892 Report of the Highway Commission]

Take a “road trip” through history with the State Library’s collections—no folding required.


Judy Carlstrom
Head of Technical Services




Thursday, May 1, 2025

State Library Newsletter - May Issue

Happy May! Our latest newsletter is out now, and full of information about our upcoming events, exhibited items, new reference resources, and more. 

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.



Monday, April 28, 2025

On Display for AAPI Month and Preservation Week

This month, our Collection Spotlight item is pulling double-duty, and is highlighting both May’s designation as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Month), and this week’s celebration of Preservation Week (April 27 through May 3). We are once again displaying the 1930 and 1931 editions of the Chinese Directory of New England, which was previously displayed in 2022. The directories help us to draw attention to the rising Chinese-American population in New England in the early 1900s, and this blog post also discusses the ways in which the library deploys preservation measures to ensure their stability for years to come. 

The 1930 directory was the first of its kind to be published in New England, and it was born out of a call from the growing Chinese-American community to have a resource that would list Chinese restaurants, stores, and laundries found within individual New England towns. Also found within the pages of both the 1930 and 1931 directory are advertisements, the bulk of which are for Chinese-owned businesses, but there are also a fair amount for non-Chinese owned businesses. This emphasizes that these business owners acknowledged the importance of New England’s Chinese residents as a vital part of the community and economy. And here at the State Library, we appreciate that the directory also includes an image of the State House, and find it fitting that a copy of the directory ended up in the collection here. Read more about these directories in our previous blog post


To ensure the long-term preservation of these directories – which are approaching their 100th birthday – we have displayed them open to different pages than they were three years ago. This decreases the amount of light damage to the directories, but it should also be noted that our Collection Spotlight case is designed to limit light and UV exposure, thus making it safe to display items. When these items are not on display, they are housed in dark storage in their own enclosures, to ensure that they do not get dusty. In addition to the directories, our display also includes a facsimile of two additional pages from 
the 1930 directory; the welcome letter from Governor Frank G. Allen along with his portrait. In this instance, the use of facsimiles allows us to display additional pages from the directories other than the ones they are open to, but sometimes, facsimiles serve as a preservation measure. Facsimiles, which are realistic copies, can be used instead of originals, both in display and for research purposes. If a display case does not have UV treated glass, than displaying a facsimile is a safe way to present the content and look of the original, while keeping the actual original safe from potential damage. And for researchers, in the event that the original is very fragile, then a facsimile or use copy can be provided, so that the researcher can access and handle the item without the threat of causing any damage.  

Preservation Week is an annual event, meant to raise awareness of the preservation work that happens in libraries and archives, as well as inspiring the public to think about the preservation of their own personal collections. The theme for Preservation Week 2025 is “Preserve the Past, Shape the Future,” a mission that we strive for at the State Library. Through our hands-on conservation program, our preservation management activities, and our commitment to digitization, we aim to do our part to preserve materials of the past, and make them accessible to researchers and the general public now and in the future. Since the last time that we displayed the Chinese directories, we are happy to share that they have been added to our digital repository. The directories in their entirety can be accessed here: 1930 and 1931. Links to the directories are also included as a QR code on the case label, so that visitors can access the full directory while viewing our display. There are multiple benefits of digitizing our collection; digitization helps to make our collection accessible to a larger remote audience, and from a preservation standpoint, also helps to maintain the integrity of the physical item because it decreases the use and handling of the physical item, thus also decreasing the likelihood of damage. Each year, we select materials from our Special Collections and Reference collection to either digitize on-site, or if it is a large-scale project, then we work with off-site vendors. We are continuously continuously increasing the amount of materials that are available in digital format.  

Visit us from April 29 through June 3 to see these items on display, and read more about AAPI Month here. And in honor of Preservation Week, you can also check out our two preservation focused Flickr pages for examples of work done in our lab and preservation tips you can use at home. Additional information about Preservation Week, along with some actions you can apply to your own collection, can be found on the official website.


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian


Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Author Talk with Steven Beaucher


The State Library of Massachusetts Author Talks Series presents Steven Beaucher as our May speaker!

Please join us at noon in our historic reading room or tune in virtually; the event will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel courtesy of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Broadcast Services.

Be sure to sign up for our Author Talks newsletter and follow our social media channels (InstagramFacebook, 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:
Boston in Transit is an illustrated history of Boston’s public transportation system. This beautiful book was the 2024 New England Society Book Award winner in the Art & Photography category. The book details the Commonwealth’s rich history of public transport starting in 1630 with the use of ferries to the evolution of the MBTA. The book includes photographs, pamphlets, examples of tickets and schedules, and more. Check out the book’s companion site which is just as visually appealing as the book!

About the author:
Steven Beaucher is the co-founder and proprietor of WardMaps LLC, dealing in antique maps and public transportation artifacts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Steven established and operates MBTAgifts, the licensed merchandise program of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Steven is a licensed architect, who, before focusing on WardMaps and the creation of Boston in Transit, practiced architecture throughout Greater Boston. He grew up in the Merrimack Valley, graduated from Syracuse University, and resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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.

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

Thursday, April 17, 2025

Quack Quack! There are Mallards in the Library!

There are signs of spring in Boston, so it's a fitting time to feature the mallard in our Audubon case! This time of year, mallards return to their breeding grounds, pair up, nest, and then raise ducklings. Shown here are two pairs of males and females - males are distinguished by the green feathers on their heads, while females have brown. In the print, they are shown in a marshy habitat, but you are also likely to see friendly mallards in city parks! This was not the case in the 1830s, as Audubon wrote in his description that, "this valuable species is extremely rare in the wild state in the neighbourhood of Boston in Massachusetts; and in this assertion, I am supported by my talented and amiable friend Mr. Nuttall, who resided there for many years."


We wish that Audubon had thought to include some adorable ducklings in the print, too! To see those, you'll need to wander down to the Public Garden to see the Make Way for Ducklings sculpture, but be sure to stop in and visit us from April 15 through May 7 to see the Mallard Duck (plate 221) on display in our reading room.


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian   

Monday, April 14, 2025

Ms. Coll. 179: Representative Josh S. Cutler Papers

Since I began working as processing archivist, the Special Collections Department has had a steady stream of new acquisitions from legislators. One of the first collections I had the pleasure of accessioning was former Representative Josh S. Cutler’s papers. Josh Cutler has been a great supporter of the State Library. We’ve had the pleasure of hosting him for two author talks, the most recent of which was just last week. What better time to feature a bit about his collection?

Ms. Coll. 179 documents Josh S. Cutler's years of work in the Massachusetts House (2012-2024). It reflects Cutler's role as a state legislator and in particular, his involvement in workforce development, disability employment, environmental policy, and the communities he represented in the 6th Plymouth District. Records include correspondence, photographs, campaign mailings, subcommittee reports, event materials, and digital files, arranged into six series. Much of Cutler’s outgoing correspondence is to his constituents in Duxbury, Hanson, and Pembroke regarding issues of concern to them.

Cutler was born January 22, 1971, in Duxbury, Massachusetts. He is a graduate of Skidmore College (B.A. in political science, 1994), Suffolk University Law School (Juris Doctor, 2001), and UMass-Dartmouth (M.A. in Environmental Policy, 2016). Cutler’s early career in public service includes the following: Board of Selectmen, Town of Hull, 1999-2002; Alternative Energy Committee, Town of Duxbury, 2007-2019; Planning Board, Town of Duxbury, 2009-2013; Pembroke Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, 2010-2013; Hanson Kiwanis, Board of Directors, 2012.

A December 2020 report from the Joint
Committee on Children, Families, and 
Persons with Disabilities from Culter's collection
Cutler served the Sixth Plymouth District from 2013 to 2024. His committee and caucus assignments while on the General Court included the following:
  • House Chair, Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, 2021-2024
  • House Chair, Coastal Caucus, 2019-2024
  • House Chair, Future of Work Commission, 2021-2022
  • House Chair, Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Study Commission, 2021-2022
  • Founder and co-chair, House Blockchain Technology Caucus, 2021-2024
  • Vice-Chair, Joint Committee on Children, Families & Persons with Disabilities, 2019-2020
  • Vice-Chair, Joint Committee on Community Development & Small Businesses, 2017-2018

Cutler was the author or lead sponsor of legislation including the Energy SAVE Act, the Disability Employment Tax Credit (DETC), the Wage Transparency Act, and the PANDAS/PANS law. He also led the creation of the Commission on Persons with Disabilities, the restoration of South Shore weekend commuter rail service, and the establishment of Right Whale Day in Massachusetts. These subjects and many others are represented in the collection.

Speaker Robert DeLeo, Rep. Cutler, and fellow legislators welcome
professional soccer player Samantha Mewis of Hanson, a member of the
World Cup winning U.S. Women’s National Team, February 2020.

In 2024, Cutler stepped down as Representative for the Sixth Plymouth District when he was appointed by Governor Maura Healey to serve as Undersecretary in the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. It was at this time he generously gifted his collection to the State Library so we could provide patrons access to his papers.

Cutler’s collection is open for research; reach out to us by email if you are interested in accessing this collection, or our many other legislators’ collections, for your own research.

Check out Josh Cutler’s State Library author talks on our YouTube Channel, linked below:


Alyssa Persson
Processing Archivist