Senator Jake Oliveira Receives The Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast Award from MBLC. Announces Senate to T
Presented as part of the MBLC’s 135th anniversary celebration at the State House on Thursday, the award honors legislators whose work reflects a deep understanding of the essential role libraries play in supporting democracy, lifelong learning, and civic engagement.
“Libraries are not isolated institutions; they are community infrastructure that drives education, digital access, and equity in every city and town,” said Senator Oliveira. “When we strengthen our regional library systems, we ensure that small and rural communities have the same access to resources and services as larger, better-funded municipalities.”
Over the past two fiscal years, Senator Oliveira has filed and successfully secured more than $3 million in additional state aid for regional public libraries through amendments to the state budget, including $950,000 in the FY26 budget for State Aid to Regional Public Libraries.
“The MBLC is proud to award Senator Jacob Oliveira the C.B. Tillinghast Award. Both the Senator and our founding Commissioner understand that with the free, equal, and inclusive access to knowledge and information that libraries provide comes a society where no one is left behind,” said Vicky Biancolo, Chair of the MBLC. “The Senator’s ‘right to read’ legislation takes aim at attempts to censor or ban books, ensuring that library collections are able to represent all voices, viewpoints, and experiences. Across generations, from C.B. Tillinghast to Senator Jake Oliveira, the mission endures: championing public libraries as engines of opportunity for all and the cornerstone of democracy.”
Last session, Senator Oliveira filed emergency legislation, An Act protecting against attempts to ban, remove, or restrict library access to materials, after a member of the Ludlow School Committee introduced a ban on several books. This session, Senator Oliveira filed An Act relative to school library standards, which ensures equitable access to high-quality resources for all students and addresses workforce challenges by establishing standards for certified librarians in every school.
Derrick Cruz Director of Communications & Engagement
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) has named State Senator Jake Oliveira (Ludlow-D) as the 2025 recipient of The Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast Award, recognizing his leadership and steadfast commitment to strengthening public libraries across the Commonwealth.
During the ceremony, Senator Oliveira was joined by Senator Julian Cyr (Truro-D) to announce that the Senate will take up legislation during the formal session on Thursday to protect library materials from censorship. The bill, An Act regarding free expression, was filed by Senator Cyr and cosponsored by Senator Oliveira and would establish statewide protections for intellectual freedom and due process in Massachusetts school and public libraries, ensuring that library materials cannot be removed or censored based on personal or political beliefs. It also modernizes certain library statutes for gender-neutral and professional language.