SC 13-G
                       New England Business Services, Inc.
                       Securities and Exchange Commission
                            Washington, D. C. 20549

                                Schedule 13-G
                  Under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934

                     New England Business Services, Inc.
                                 Common Stock
                            CUSIP Number 643872104

Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement. [ ]

CUSIP No. 643872104

         1)  Name of reporting person:
                  Legg Mason, Inc.
              Tax Identification No:
                  52-1200960

         2)  Check the appropriate box if a member of a group:
                  a)  n/a
                  b)  n/a

         3)  SEC use only

         4)  Place of organization:
                  Baltimore, Maryland

      Number of shares beneficially owned by each reporting person with:
         5)  Sole voting power:                - 0 -
         6)  Shared voting power:              1,436,817
         7)  Sole dispositive power:           - 0 -
         8)  Shared dispositive power:         1,436,817

         9)  Aggregate  amount  beneficially owned by each reporting person:
                 1,436,817

         10)  Check if the aggregate amount in row (9) excludes certain shares:
                 n/a

         11)  Percent of class represented by amount in row (9):
                 11.49%

         12)  Type of reporting person:
                 HC

         Item 1a)  Name of issuer:
                     New England Business Services, Inc.

         Item 1b) Address of issuer's principal executive offices:
                    500 Main Street
                    Groton, MA  01471

         Item 2a)  Name of person filing:
                     Legg Mason, Inc.

         Item 2b) Address of principal business office:
                      100 Light Street
                      Baltimore, Maryland  21202

         Item 2c)  Citizenship:
                      Maryland Corporation

         Item 2d) Title of class of securities:
                     Common Stock

         Item 2e)  CUSIP number:  643872104

         Item 3) If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b),
                    or 13d-2(b) , check whether the person filing is a:
         (a) [ ]  Broker or dealer under Section 15 of the Act.
         (b) [ ]  Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act.
         (c) [ ]  Insurance Company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act.
         (d) [ ]  Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
                    Investment Company Act.
         (e) [ ]  Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of
                    the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
         (f) [ ]  Employee  Benefit Plan,  Pension Fund which is
                    subject to ERISA of 1974 or Endowment Fund; see
                    240.13d-1(b)(ii)(F).
         (g) [X] Parent holding company, in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(ii)(G).
         (h) [ ] Group, in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H).

         Item 4) Ownership:
         (a)  Amount beneficially owned:  1,436,817

         (b)  Percent of Class:
                11.49%

         (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:
                  (i)  sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
                                - 0 -
                  (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
                               1,436,817
                 (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
                                - 0 -
                 (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
                               1,436,817

         Item 5) Ownership of Five Percent or less of a class:
                    n/a

         Item 6) Ownership of  more than Five Percent on behalf of another
                   person:
                    n/a

         Item 7)  Identification  and  classification  of the subsidiary which
         acquired the security being reported on by the parent holding company:

                Bartlett & Co., investment adviser with discretion
                Bingham Legg Advisers LLC, as investment adviser with
                  discretion
                Brandywine Asset Management, Inc., as investment adviser
                  with discretion
                Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc., as an investment adviser and
                  broker/dealer with discretion
                Royce & Associates, Inc., as investment adviser with discretion

         Item 8) Identification and classification of members of the group:
                  n/a

         Item 9) Notice of dissolution of group:
                  n/a

         Item 10) Certification:

                  By signing  below I certify  that, to the best of my knowledge
         and  belief,  the  securities  referred  to above were  acquired in the
         ordinary  course of business  and were not  acquired for the purpose of
         and do not have the effect of  changing or  influencing  the control of
         the issuer of such  securities and were not acquired in connection with
         or as a participant in any transaction having such purposes or effect.

                  After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
         belief,  I certify that the  information set forth in this statement is
         true, complete and correct.

         -------------------------
         Date - November 9, 2001

         Signature



        ________________________________________________________________
         Timothy C. Scheve, Sr. Ex. Vice President, Legg Mason, Inc.



Addendum to Schedule 13G filed by Legg Mason, Inc.
Tax Identification No. 52-1200960

Shares of New England Business Services Inc. owned a/o 10/31/01

CUSIP 643872104



                                Shares    Sole     Shared     Sole     Shared
   Name                Class    Owned     V P       V P       D P       D P

                                                        

Bartlett & Co.           IA       2,000              2,000                2,000
Bingham Legg Advisers
  LLC                    IA     200,017            200,017              200,017
Brandywine Asset
  Management, Inc.       IA     277,600            277,600              277,600
Legg Mason Wood
  Walker, Inc.           BD       1,400              1,400                1,400
Royce Associates, Inc.   IA     955,800            955,800              955,800


 

Shares Outstanding    12,500,000

% Owned               11.49%



Exhibit to item 3(g)
___________________

Royce & Associates, Inc., 1414 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019, a
subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. and an investment adviser registered under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, is the beneficial owner of 955,800 shares, or
7.65% of the common stock outstanding of New England Business Services, Inc.
as a result of acting as an investment adviser for various clients.

Joint Filing Agreement
______________________

Each party signing below agrees that this statement is submitted as a joint
filing on behalf of all of the undersigned.

Legg Mason, Inc.


By _____________________________________________________
    Timothy C. Scheve, Sr. Ex. Vice President


Royce & Associates, Inc.


By _____________________________________________________
    W. Whitney George, Vice President