Accreditation and Direct State Aid

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Accreditation and Direct State Aid

• 11/13/07

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Accreditation

• Guest presenter Gerry Rowland
• During the session, Gerry will review the
  accreditation process and the reporting form,
  tier levels, and some specific measures about
  which librarians often have questions.  He will
  also answer other questions, as time permits.
• A big thanks to Karen Burns (SWILSA
  administrator) for sponsoring this session and
  acting as our producer

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Objectives

• By the end of the session, you will be able to
  1. Describe the purpose(s) of accreditation and
  the reporting form 2. Describe the connection
  between the report and Direct State Aid 3.
  Complete the reporting form (and identify the
  people who can assist with further questions) 4.
  Identify tier status and the measures needed to
  achieve next status.

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Purpose of Accreditation

• The State Library is required by the Code of
  Iowa (256.51 (j)) to document the condition of
  public library service in Iowa.  In order to
  fulfill that requirement and to provide public
  libraries with a tool for identifying strengths
  and areas for improvement, the State Library
  requires that public libraries submit
  accreditation reports.

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Purpose (2)

• Uses of the report are numerous, benefiting the
  local library as well as the library community. 
• The application and report form
• Is the mechanism for applying for accreditation
• Benchmarks the status of local library service
  and
• Determines eligibility and funding tier status
  for Enrich Iowa (Direct State Aid)

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Standards, Tier Status and Direct State Aid

• 1. Tier status determines the amount of Direct
  State Aid received by the library
• 2. The number of standards met determines Tier
  status
• 3. The Standards report determines the number of
  standards met

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Background and History

• The accreditation process is extensive and
  requires a strong, ongoing local commitment to
  excellence in library services. To be accredited,
  a library must meet 40 required measures and an
  additional 16 locally selected standards in the
  areas of library governance, administration
  funding, staffing, collections, services, public
  relations, and access facilities. To remain
  accredited, a library must reaffirm eligibility
  every three years.

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Background and History (2)

• Iowas public library accreditation program has
  been in place 23 years. The library community has
  revised the PUBLIC LIBRARY MEASURES OF QUALITY
  three times to keep pace with the changes in the
  delivery of services (In Service to Iowa was
  first published in 1985, with revised editions in
  1989 and 1997).

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In Service to Iowa Public Library Measures of
Quality 4th Edition 8/3/04 TABLE OF
CONTENTS PREFACE . . . 2 INTRODUCTION . . .
3 CHAPTER 1--GOVERNANCE, ADMINISTRATION, AND
FUNDING . . . 6 CHAPTER 2--STAFFING . . .
10 CHAPTER 3--COLLECTION . . . 12 CHAPTER
4--SERVICES . . . 15 CHAPTER 5PUBLIC/COMMUNITY
RELATIONS . . . 19 CHAPTER 6--ACCESS AND
FACILITIES . . . 20 APPENDIX A--LIBRARY SERVICE
POLICIES . . . 23 APPENDIX B--COMMUNITY ANALYSIS
. . . 26 APPENDIX C--SPACE NEEDS WORKSHEET . . .
27 APPENDIX D--CERTIFICATION . . . 29 APPENDIX
E--GLOSSARY . . . 30
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Reporting/Accreditation Procedures The
Standards and Accreditation Program exists to
encourage the ongoing development of high quality
public library services in Iowa. Every three
years, each library is asked to report its
progress toward achieving accreditation by
completing the APPLICATION AND REPORT FORM FOR
ACCREDITATION according to In Service to Iowa and
the instructions included in the form. The form
is mailed annually to all public libraries. The
library should send one copy of the APPLICATION
AND REPORT FORM to their Library Service Area and
one copy to the State Library. All libraries
applying for accreditation must also provide the
documentation requested on the REQUEST FOR
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION to the State Library and
the Library Service Area.
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Accreditation Requirements To achieve
accreditation, a library must 1. Meet all 40
required measures of Tiers 1-3 at a C level or
better where applicable. 2. Meet 16 of the
remaining 35 measures. 3. Submit the APPLICATION
AND REPORT FORM to the State Library and the
Library Service Area by January 31 of the
reporting year. Accreditation certificates will
be issued by the State Library in June of each
year. Certificates are valid for three years from
the date of issue.
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Time table for FY08

• Date/Action
• 1/31/08 Application/Report Form due (request
  extension, if needed)
• 1/31/08-6/30/08 Applications are reviewed by the
  State Library, notice of areas for improvement is
  mailed
• 7/30/08 Certificates mailed

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Request for Supporting Documentation
(Report/Application) Libraries filing an
application for accreditation must submit the
following documentation for review 1. One copy
of the library boards bylaws with a date no more
than 3 years prior to the date of
report/application (Measure 7). Do not send a
copy of the Library Ordinance. 2. Library
policies with a date no more than 3 years prior
to the date of report/application (Measure
8). Check here (and do not file) if this item has
been filed within the past 3 years Internet Use
Policy ____ Collection Development Policy
____ Personnel Policy ____ Operations Policy
____ 3. The community study, with a date no more
than 5 years prior to the date of application
(Measure 11). Check here (and do not file) if
this item has been filed within the past 5 years
____
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4. The library mission statement and plan with a
date no more than 5 years prior to the date of
application and covering at least 1 year beyond
the application due date (Measure 12). Check here
(and do not file) if this item has been filed
within the past 3 years ____ 5. Photographs of
all the following ramped curb from street to
sidewalk barrier free entrance to the library
accessible rest room and entrances to public
access rooms (65). Check here (and do not file)
if these items are on file at the State Library
____ 6. A photograph of the library book return
(Measure 72). Check here (and do not file) if
this item is on file at the State Library
____ One copy of the information should be
mailed to the Library Service Area. Mail one copy
of the application and the supporting
documentation to the State Library. All Tier 1
and Tier 2 public libraries must have a current
(NO OLDER THAN 1/31/05) set of by-laws (Measure
7) and policies (Measure 8) on file at the
State Library. A copy of the Library Ordinance
will not meet Measure 7. These documents are due
1/31/08 (request an extension if needed). One
copy of the information should also be mailed to
the Library Service Area.
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Date Accreditation/Report form last filed
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Further information and contacts

• www.statelibraryofiowa.org/ld/accr-and-standards
• Gerry Rowland, 1-800-248-4483
• Gerry.rowland_at_lib.state.ia.us
• Your LSA and the LSA Standards Explanations
  www.ilsa.lib.ia.us/faq.htm