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…

This study examined the collective success and "Best in the Nation" status of Ohio public libraries as indicated in by various statistical rankings, like the HAPLR and "Library Journal" Star Libraries, as well as anecdotal reports in the trade literature. The study was qualitative in nature and utilized a single-subject case…

How have college and university-based archives and special collections fared over the past few years in the midst of an historically grim economic downturn? The authors conducted in-depth interviews with directors of 13 archival repositories at state universities and private colleges in the Appalachian region of Virginia, West Virginia, North…

In the world of grant-making, there are private, corporate, and government sources at the local, state, and federal level, and each of them has funds to award. The trick is to make a good match. This article offers tips for finding grant funds and writing grants.

Pennsylvania public libraries began receiving increased allotments of state aid in 2000. In the first two years of enhancement aid, total state aid received by Pennsylvania libraries more than doubled. This reversed the trend of little growth in the years preceding 2000. The enhancement aid program also redesigned certain categories of state aid…

This summary report of the Governor's Conference in Colorado which preceded the White House Conference on Library and Information Services provides brief descriptions of such pre-conference activities as regional meetings, "speak-outs" on local issues, and the preparation of position papers by professional library groups, as well as an…

Developed through a joint effort of the Oklahoma Library Association (OLA) and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL), this planning approach to library development is designed to lead a public library through the developmental process and identify a series of actions that will direct it toward planning for excellence. Introductory material…

Prepared as a requirement for state aid, this self-evaluation makes eight recommendations for the future of the Wake County Library System: (1) formation of a single library administrative unit entirely funded by the county; (2) preparation of written goals and objectives for library service; (3) preparation of a library organizational handbook;…

Discusses the meaning of stimulation and substitution in the context of federal aid to libraries and suggests how these uses are likely to affect library funding in the immediate future. (Author/JVP)

Developed to provide library directors, staff, and board members with information for performing accounting and financial management functions, this guide answers frequently asked questions, describes common practices and processes, provides examples and suggested formats for selected financial reports, and identifies issues that may require…

This manual has been compiled to provide consistent grant application and administrative procedures for state agencies which award grants or contracts to local governments. It provides a conceptual framework of information concerning the reporting, financial, contractual, and auditing requirements for recipients of Texas State Library grants…

Last year, Louisville, KY, grew overnight from the country's 64th largest city to the 16th largest, the result of the merger of the city with Jefferson County. Pittsburgh and Buffalo, NY, are among other communities discussing city-county mergers. Many smaller communities are considering merging services, such as police and fire, or consolidating…

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is responsible for the annual development and adoption of specific policies and formulas for the equitable distribution of monies in the area of educational instruction and academic support, including libraries. Two formulas are applied to determine funding: Full-Time Equated (FTE) enrollment…

Following a directory of New Jersey State Library staff, narrative and statistical information on fiscal year 1986 grant programs administered by the Library Development Bureau of the New Jersey State Library is provided for the following funding categories: (1) New Jersey state library aid, including per capita aid, incentive grants, area…