LSTA Advisory Council

What is LSTA?

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) distributes Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding through the Grants to States program. It is the largest source of federal funding support for library services in the U.S. For more than 50 years LSTA funding and its predecessor programs under the federal Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9101) have supported the delivery and improvement of library services in the U.S. While the law has undergone numerous reauthorizations over time, the basic function of the program, which merges federal priorities with state defined needs, continues to be critical to statewide library services.

What Does LSTA Grants to States Fund?

New Mexico State Library receives about $1.8M annually from LSTA. Grants to States funds the following programs:

Rural Services (Bookmobiles, Books by Mail, Delivery to Public Libraries): 56% of LSTA funding
El Portal Online Databases: 31% of LSTA funding
Library for the Blind and Print Disabled: 4% of LSTA funding
Interlibrary Loan: 3% of LSTA funding
Summer Reading: 1% of LSTA Funding

NMSL LSTA Five Year Plan 2023-2027

Bookmobiles

LSTA funds 3 Bookmobiles serving over 5,000 rural New Mexicans.
Bookmobiles carry over 4,000 items across the state all available for checkout to rural and underserved patrons in the state.
Bookmobiles host Summer Reading Programs for kids and families during the summer.

Books by Mail

LSTA funds Books By Mail for homebound New Mexicans.
Books by Mail serves over 300 patrons throughout the state right to their mailbox.

Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

LSTA funds the Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD) and Braille Program providing library material to those who cannot read standard print, via direct digital download or through mail.
LBPD provides access to hundreds of thousands of digital audio downloads and braille books.
Over 150,000 books were circulated to LBPD patrons last year.

STEM Kits and Educational Outreach

LSTA funds circulating STEM kits and other educational outreach to public libraries delivered directly from the NM State Library to communities throughout the state.

El Portal Statewide Databases

LSTA funds statewide use of the El Portal database which provides access to research databases, homework and career help, and historic newspapers.
Public, academic and school libraries with little or no funding for research databases and e-resources can access El Portal for free.
Databases through El Portal are available to all New Mexicans through the NM State Library website.
El Portal Databases were accessed over 4.6 million times last year.

Interlibrary Loan

LSTA funds Interlibrary Loan services to 39 small or rural public libraries, 8 prison libraries, 5 school and academic libraries, 7 special libraries and 4 tribal libraries throughout the state.
ILL services allows libraries to offer expanded collections to their patrons.

Summer Reading

LSTA funds the NM State Library’s membership with the Collaborative Summer Library Program, allowing the state library to provide resources including vouchers to public libraries throughout the state to support Summer Reading efforts in communities.
Over 107,000 youth attended Summer Reading Programs

LSTA Advisory Council

General Duties and Functions:

The Advisory Council’s role will be to advise the State Library Staff on the development and implementation of the state five year plan for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), assist in the evaluation of activities, and in the evaluation of LSTA grant applications and projects. The Council has neither approval nor disapproval authority; it recommends actions to the State Library. The New Mexico State Library, as the legal authority for administering the Library Services and Technology Act, makes final decisions on all plans and programs.

Council members both individually and collectively as a group, are expected to advocate for the improvement of library services in New Mexico.

Meetings:

The Advisory Council shall meet twice a year during the week in a variety of formats that will be dictated by the business to be conducted. Most meetings, including travel time, take approximately eight hours. For each meeting, Council member are expected to spend additional time preparing, reading materials (estimated 8 – 16 hours). During the meeting the council members will

§ Review long range and annual program plans for LSTA funded statewide services and competitive grant programs

§ Recommend and review priorities and goals

§ Review reports and evaluations

§ Review grant applications, propels reports, and evaluations

Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or the State Library. Members will be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses in accordance with State Law and procedures.

A quorum of the members is a simple majority of the Council membership. No business will be transacted if a quorum cannot participate,

Recommendations of the Council will be made by majority vote.

Members should notify the Deputy State Librarian a minimum of 48 hours in advance of the meeting if they cannot attend the meeting. Any member with two unexcused absences within one year will be replaced on the Council.

All meetings shall be held in accordance with the New Mexico Open Meetings Law NMSA 1978, Sections 10-15-1 to 10-15-4.

Minutes shall be prepared by a member of the Council. Minutes (see below) shall be approved and distributed within 2 weeks of the meeting. State Library staff will post the minutes on the State Library website.