- Why is a change necessary? The Legislature has requested that the library community streamline the statewide delivery of services to libraries. They have given the library community the opportunity to develop a plan that is workable for all Iowa libraries. If the library community doesn’t propose changes, the Legislature will step in and make their own changes.
- Are locally provided consulting services being preserved? Yes. The new model calls for 7 district consultants and 7 project coordinators/library resource technicians, who will provide services from 7 locations around the state. District consultant positions will be filled with LSA librarians, if they want the job. The library resource technician positions will be filled with as many LSA office staff as possible.
- Who is the Commission and how are they appointed?
- The Iowa Library Commission is the governing board of the statewide agency. Members of the Commission are appointed to 4-year terms by the governor. Commission membership will increase from 8 to 9 in the new plan, and some of the Commission seats will be held by librarians.
- What is the Advisory Panel, their duties, composition?
The Advisory Panel will be made up of librarians from throughout the state who will offer feedback, suggestions, and advice to both the Iowa Library Services agency and the Iowa Library Commission. Advisory Panel membership will include representatives from all sizes and types of libraries, with geographic representation across the state. Advisory Panel members will articulate needs and interests of Iowa librarians, help the Iowa Library Commission and the agency determine service priorities, launch programs, and encourage current best practices, research, and professional development information.
- Where do libraries of all types fit in (K-12, community colleges, academics, specials)? The new statewide agency -- Iowa Library Services -- will provide service to Iowa libraries of all types. Support from Iowa Library Services will empower Iowa libraries of all types to provide leadership and high quality local service to enhance learning in families and communities, build 21st century skills, sustain cultural heritage, and increase civic participation.
- What happens to services specific to one or several LSAs?
Some of these services may be made available across the state. Again, final budget figures will determine the extent this can happen. We want libraries to have customized service as needed, but we also want to ensure the consistent availability of service to all libraries, regardless of location or size.
- Will all projects be available statewide?Regional pilot projects will continue to be developed. If a pilot is successful, it will be made available statewide to the extent that funding allows. The goal is to offer well coordinated and consistently applied library support service across the state.
- What will happen to the LSA websites?Since service will be delivered from a single statewide agency (called Iowa Library Services), the LSA websites will be merged into a single agency website. All of the helpful material on the current LSA Web sites will be transferred to this site.
- Without LSA Boards, what are my opportunities for input?
Input can be given at any time to any district consultant, to any other staff member of the Iowa Library Services agency, to members of the Iowa Library Commission, or to members of the Advisory Panel. District consultants can form advisory panels within their districts, if they see the need, to gain input from the libraries they serve.
- If district boundaries are not defined in the Iowa Code, then will District Consultants be expected to travel long distances across the state to provide consulting? The District Consultants will primarily provide hands-on services within their own assigned geographic area. A District Consultant with specialized expertise might occasionally be asked to provide consulting or continuing education outside the district; these arrangements would be worked out within the Library Support Network group.
- If district boundaries are not defined in the Iowa Code, could the State Library eliminate the District Consultants and the services they provide? The State Library has stressed, since the beginning of the reorganization discussions last winter, the vital importance of continuing hands-on, locally delivered support service for Iowa libraries, such as those the District Consultants will provide. The new Iowa Library Services agency will have two major roles - to improve local library service in Iowa and to deliver specialized service to Iowa librarians and to Iowans. Because the new Iowa Library Services Agency will be responsible for helping Iowa libraries deliver the best possible library service to Iowans, eliminating district consulting would not be considered. The issue has never been whether these services should be delivered, but how the service delivery should be re-structured.
- What changes is the State Library making?
- Eliminating the State Medical Library, which had been in existence since 1919
- Eliminating the Patents and Trademarks Library
- Eliminating two positions - Patents Librarian and ICN Scheduler
- Redeploying a current State Library employee to serve as one of the Project Coordinators/Library Resource Technicians providing support to a District Consultant
- Committing State Library reference librarians to provide statewide backup reference support
- Committing State Library staff from Specialized Library Services to provide statewide backup interlibrary loan support
- Adding personalized reference support for Iowa libraries to the job expectations of Specialized Library Services librarians in law, State Data Center, cataloging, and Iowa Publications Online/archives
- Providing the State Library accountant, communications coordinator, 2 secretaries and information support worker to deliver support services to District Consultants and Project Coordinators/Library Resource Technicians
- Managing budget cuts of $395,770 (21.4%) over the past two years
- Giving up the second floor space in the State Library Miller building, former home of the Medical Library, is being discussed with the Legislative Services Agency, which has authority over the Miller Building
- Giving up state funding for books and other materials for the State Library collection, in order to keep staff to provide services to Iowa libraries and Iowan
- How will the new model be funded? The legislature will provide state funding for the new Iowa Library Services agency. Federal funds will continue to be used to support statewide programs of the Iowa Library Services agency and the staff who provide them
- How is federal money going to be used in the new system? Federal funds will continue to be used to support statewide programs of the Iowa Library Services agency and the staff who provide them, including the SILO Locator and ILL; EBSCOHost and other databases; Summer Library Program and youth services consulting; public library standards and accreditation; the Iowa Center for the Book; Iowa Publications Online, and more. Early in 2012 the state agency will begin to develop Iowa’s next five-year plan for the use of federal funding, with the help of the Iowa library community. During this planning process, priorities for the use of federal funds will be determined.
- What are the priorities for using the funding?
Planning processes for the Iowa Library Services agency, conducted with involvement and feedback from Iowa librarians, will determine overall priorities. Consultants and other service providers at Iowa Library Services will meet frequently to discuss and determine day-to-day service plans.
- What will happen if there are future budget cuts?We will have to adjust what we do and how we provide service. 684 Iowa librarians responded to a survey earlier this summer which identified the services considered “essential” or “important” by respondents. The survey responses provide information about what Iowa libraries want that will be helpful if further budget cuts are necessary.
- What’s the time line for implementation?
The legislation setting up the new service delivery model will probably go into effect on July 1, 2011. Planning for implementation will begin as soon as legislation is introduced.
- Are our state tax dollars coming back to us in services? Yes! Some of the many services you will receive through the new Iowa Library Services agency are:
- Enrich Iowa funding for libraries: Direct State Aid for Public Libraries; Open Access Reciprocal Borrowing Program & Reimbursement; and the Interlibrary Loan Reimbursement Program
- Education and training for library directors, staff, and trustees
- SILO interlibrary loan instate and the Iowa Locator
- Summer Library Program theme, curriculum, training
- Personalized consulting services/answers to your questions
- Compilation and dissemination of Iowa library statistics
- Purchasing consortia for databases, downloadable audiobooks, other products and services
- Orientation, training and consulting for public library boards of trustees
- PLOW hosted Web sites and email
- Public library standards and accreditation
- and more
- What happens if the legislature says the library system plan is too expensive? The Iowa Library Association will reconvene the Reorganization Committee to revise the plan, preserving service as much as possible with the available funding.
- How can I act to support the maintenance of library services?
We all need to be positive about changes & be willing to try new ways of delivering and receiving service. When the final plan is presented to the legislature for consideration, the entire Iowa library community will need to close ranks behind this plan and help our lobbyists get it passed in the 2011 Iowa Legislative Session
Who can I call for assistance in the new model?
You will be able to call your district library consultant.
You will be able to call your district library consultant.
WILBOR and NEIBORS, as one example, will continue. We will work to continue providing support for as many current projects as possible, as we realize the importance of these to the libraries involved in them. Bottom Line: project sustainability and expansion will depend on the level of funding appropriated by the legislature in future budgets.
