Representative Mark Falzone announced that the early opportunity for the Saugus Library to be re-certified has been signed into law. When Governor Patrick signed the state budget for the coming fiscal year, he made this provision favoring the Saugus Library part of state law. The Saugus legislative delegation secured specifically for Saugus this chance for early access to the additional state funding for the library which comes with the accelerated re-certification process.

Representative Falzone emphasized, “This is very good news for Saugus, and for Saugus library patrons and Saugus taxpayers. With appropriate action by town officials, we in Saugus can now have re-certification in just a couple of months rather than the much longer usual wait of at least a year and a half. This will mean quick access for Saugus to state funds, which in turn will help Saugus taxpayers and keep library improvements on track. As the Founding Chairman of the Legislative Library Caucus, I know that a re-certified Saugus Library helps our Saugus residents to find jobs, start businesses, gain internet and database access, and develop the education that will serve as the foundation for new careers.”

To gain re-certification by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Saugus Board of Library Trustees will have to meet several requirements specified in the new law. These include spending 13% of the library’s budget on books and remaining open 59 hours per week, both of which have been made possible this year by the recent critical increase in the library’s budget voted by Saugus Town Meeting. Full state re-certification requirements will have to be met the following year.

Pamela Gill, Chairman of the Saugus Board of Library Trustees, noted, “I could not be more pleased now that with this new state law we are one step closer to re-certification, which has been our goal for the past three years. I want to express my appreciation to Representative Falzone and the other member of our legislative delegation who have worked so diligently and successfully to make this happen.”

Re-certification of the Saugus Library also will permit Saugus library patrons to receive services from other community libraries throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.