RFR 26-109 Genealogy

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Board of Library Commissioners seeks proposals from online content providers for licensed access to products for genealogy or family research. The selected vendor will provide electronic resources for family history and genealogy research to library patrons. The contract is expected to last for 5 years, from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2031. The vendor must provide a comprehensive description of their product, including its primary audience, coverage area, and available languages. The vendor must also describe their approach to ensuring patron privacy and security, as well as their plan for providing administrative access to MBLC and MLS staff. Some key features of the contract include: • The vendor must provide electronic resources for family history and genealogy research to library patrons. • The vendor must ensure that patron privacy is maintained, including when and how SSL encryption is used, and how patron accounts and search histories are protected. • The vendor must provide a description of their product, including its primary audience, coverage area, and available languages. • The vendor must describe their approach to providing administrative access to MBLC and MLS staff. • The vendor must provide a plan for providing training to MBLC and MLS staff in preparation for the contract start date.