103 CMR 478.06
Staff
(1) Institution Librarian. A full time staff member holding a Master's Degree in Library Science
and a Certification as a Professional Librarian. Institution Librarians shall be selected in
accordance with 103 DOC 201: Selection and Hiring. Institution Librarians shall be made
available to train, coordinate, and supervise services in libraries that do not have a full time
Institution Librarian assigned.
(2) Library Aide. A staff member with either prior library experience or professional library
experience assigned by the Superintendent to coordinate library services under the supervision
of the Director of Treatment and the Institution Librarian.
(3) Institution Librarians shall meet regularly to form and maintain a network for the purpose
of communication, resource sharing, continuing education and training, and the development of
cooperative projects and/or grant proposals. Librarians shall maintain communications and
establish liaisons with their counterparts in similar institutions and in all types of libraries outside
the institution.
(4) Specifications for library personnel shall be completed pursuant to 103 DOC 205: Position
Classification to the extent feasible, in consultation with the Consultant for Services to
Institutions from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
(5) Institutions may use inmates as library clerks, subject to the approval of the Superintendent
and the Institution Librarian. Each institution shall develop procedures for the selection of
inmate library clerks. This procedure shall include an application process through which each
inmate is screened for eligibility as a library clerk. All inmate applicants must demonstrate basic
literacy skills. Inmates must complete the approved training course prior to selection as a law
library clerk.
(6) The Institution Librarian shall be responsible for training inmates as general and law library
clerks. Each institution shall develop procedures to ensure that general and law library clerks
are trained to perform routine library duties as circulation and technical services assistants. No
inmate will be hired as a law library clerk without passing a qualifying exam. Each institution
shall develop procedures for the delivery of the approved training course to train potential law
library clerks.