2009/2010 Transition for State Grants-in-Aid
Effective July 1, 2009 the STATE GRANTS IN AID TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES (NMAC 4.5.2) has been revised.
Impact of Transition of Eligibility Requirements and Grant Funding
- Effective FY2010 (July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010) public and developing libraries must meet the criteria in the revised rule to be eligible to receive State Aid Grants. The FY2010 annual report must demonstrate that the library meets the eligibility requirements in the revised rule to receive a State Aid Grant in 2011.
- State Aid Grants issued in the fall of 2009 and in the fall of 2010 will be based on meeting the eligibility requirements in the repealed rule since libraries were operating under that version during FY2008 (July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008) and FY2009 (July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009).
- Beginning with the 2009/2010 grant (which will be issued soon), all grants will be allocated using the formulas in the revised rule. Eligible Developing Libraries will receive $1,500 and the remainder will be divided into equal shares. Eligible Branches/bookmobiles will receive 1/2 share and eligible Public Libraries will receive a full share.
- Public and Developing Libraries may use the grants for "library collections; library staff salaries; library staff training; library equipment; or other operational expenditures associated with delivery of library services". In the FY10 annual report, you will be asked to report on how you spent State Aid Grant funds by these categories: library staff salaries; library staff training; library equipment; or other operational expenditures associated with delivery of library services", so please keep track of how you spent these funds.
Highlights of changes
Grants
There are now only two grants, Public Library Grants and Developing Library Grants. Grant funds can be used for "library collections; library staff salaries; library staff training; library equipment; or other operational expenditures associated with delivery of library services". Developing libraries will receive $1,500 and the rest of the funds will be divided into equal shares. Eligible branches will receive 1/2 share and each eligible Public Library will receive 1 share.
Hours
1) Night/weekend hours are no longer required. Public libraries must still be open to the public 25 hours a week on an annual basis.
2) Branches/Bookmobiles must be open to the public 20 hours per week on an annual basis. There is no longer the distinction of a partial or full branch or bookmobile as far as the type of grants goes.
3) No change in the hours for Developing libraries. They must still be opento the public 2 days per week and 15 hours per week on an annual basis.
Library boards
The definition of a library board has been changed and clarified and applies to both Developing and Public Libraries. “Library board” means a planning and advisory group for the library comprised of representative members of the community. All library boards must meet at least two times a year.
Plans & policies
1) Established public libraries no longer must submit plans & policies to the State Library. In addition, they no longer have to follow a State Library determined schedule for revising those plans. The revision of the plans is based on the library's schedule.
2) Developing libraries will need to submit their Community Assessment, Long Range Plan and Collection Development Policy to NMSL before they can eligible to start receiving Public Library Grants.
3) Staff Development Plan and Technology Plan are no longer required for State Aid.
Continuing education/certification
1) No change in certification requirements
2) Continuing education (CEUs) and core competency requirements have been removed
Collection spending requirements
1) No change for Public Libraries in the basic spending requirement - they must still spend a minimum of $1.50 per capita of the legal service area population on library acquisitions. The Matching Collection Grant has been removed completely, so there is no longer a spending requirement above the $1.50 per capita.
2) The criteria for Developing Libraries have changed. A library "shall have minimum annual local acquisitions expenditures based upon a per capita amount expended per legal service area population. The schedule of local acquisitions expenditures for a developing library is: $0.25 per capita in its first year of participation; $0.50 per capita in its second year; $0.75 per capita in its third year; $1.00 per capita in its fourth year; and $1.25 per capita in its fifth year".
Definitions for Public and Developing Libraries have been revised
1) Through the annual report, Public Libraries must demonstrate they provide: “Basic public library services” which "means free services provided by a public library to its legal service area that include circulating collections; basic reference collection and services; educational programs; interlibrary loan services; and public access computers connected to the internet".
2) Through the annual report, Developing Libraries must demonstrate they provide: “Basic developing library services” which "means free services provided by a developing library to its legal service area that include circulating collections; basic reference collection and services; educational programs and interlibrary loan services".
Compliance with State Statues
This requirement has been broadened for both Public and Developing Libraries to include all state statutes affecting public libraries. That includes: certification, privacy law, open meetings law, etc. You can find a full list of NM Statutues on our website under Laws for Libraries.
Developing Libraries
Developing Libraries will no longer be required to submit an application for how they wish to spend their grant. Nor will they be required to submit a separate report on how their funds were spent. Instead all public & developing libraries will be required in the annual report to describe how the State Aid grants were spent by these categories: library staff salaries; library staff training; library equipment; or other operational expenditures associated with delivery of library services"
Other changes
1) an appeal process has been added
2) a maintenance of effort provision was added
3) a number of other requirements like having a telephone, etc. have been removed and a number of definitions have been clarified.
More information about State Aid
For more information, contact the Development Bureau at 800-340-3890 or
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