In an era where information is both abundant and increasingly complex, school library media centers (LMCs) serve as hubs for learning, creativity, and critical thought. Yet, little to no data exist describing the state of school LMCs in Minnesota. During the 2023 Minnesota legislative session, Minnesota's Multicounty Multitype Library Systems…

In spring 2024, the Multicounty Multitype Library Systems, supported by State Library Services, conducted a census of K-12 public and charter schools in Minnesota to learn about the status of school libraries. A total of 1,528 out of 1,777 eligible schools completed the census. The findings can help legislators, school staff, librarians, and…

Libraries have limited budgets and Collection Development Librarians can be faced with difficult decisions in the spending of their allocated funds. This paper discusses how the Tasmanian Polytechnic Launceston Campus Library discovered a gap in their collection and addressed this situation without funding. The Library wished to purchase fiction…

Public library service is a critical service that must be preserved. Despite a current (FY08) budget cut of $5 million and the threat of reductions of nearly $20 million more in the next budget, the Queens Library has maintained massive and excellent programs of service and incredibly high levels of use by a public that lines up at every one of…

Explains the principles and mechanics of double-entry bookkeeping as a part of the accounting cycle to produce a functioning set of accounting records. Suggests that libraries need to have accurate and timely information about their spending to gain financial control and protect against fraud and abuse. (LRW)

Explains scope of the Library Services and Construction Act, Title IV-B, and Higher Education Act, Title II, programs with emphasis on library funding. The future of library programs under these acts is also addressed. (SW)

Proposes targeting individuals, corporations, and charitable foundations and trusts as a means of supplementing library fund-raising campaigns. The basics of establishing and maintaining a private funds foundation are addressed, including goal setting, personnel required, and nurturing the library's relationship with the community. A sidebar by…

This discussion paper raises important issues for the future of Utah's public library services, specifically, the state's bookmobile service. Federal dollars used to support daily bookmobile operations in 22 counties will come to an end with the expiration of the "Library Services and Construction Act" in 1996. Beginning in 1997, the…