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Plan for System Cooperation
(Membership Standards)
I: INTRODUCTION:
In establishing these standards, the Rolling Prairie Library
System acknowledges that its constituent member libraries, in
accordance with eligibility criteria established by the Illinois
State Library and its Administrative Rules for membership in a
library system (Section 3030.35) are committed to advancing the
cause of information access, service, and programs, not only to
their own primary clientele, but to the clientele of the System
and the State of Illinois library community. Member libraries must
similarly agree to accept and observe the provisions of the
Illinois State Library Systems Act, the Administrative Rules of
the Illinois State Librarian, the Rolling Prairie Library System
By-Laws, the Rolling Prairie Library System Plan for System
Cooperation, the Rolling Prairie Library System Long-Range Plan,
and all other rules of the Rolling Prairie Library System.
The Rolling Prairie Library System recognizes that to become a
role model for quality library service to the citizens of its
constituted area of responsibility, and indeed the State of
Illinois, that it must develop and coordinate the strengths of its
individual libraries to do collectively that which they cannot do
individually. With this model in mind, the following standards
have been established for the Rolling Prairie Library System and
its member libraries. These standards are not intended to conflict
with, act as a substitute for, nor supplant those standards or
measures already used by accrediting agencies, governmental
bodies, or other duly authorized agencies concerned with such
matters in various types of libraries.
II. DEFINITIONS:
"Library." Unless otherwise defined as
a public library by statute, an entity which serves the basic
information and library needs of its constituents through a
bibliographically organized collection of library materials and
has at least one employee who works at least 15 hours per week as
the librarian. The collection must have permanent financial
support, be accessible centrally, and occupy identifiable quarters
in one principal location. These requirements can be met through
contractual services provided by another library.
"Academic Library." The library or
libraries of an institution of education beyond the secondary
level.
"Public Library." A tax-supported public library established by
or as a governmental unit which either is authorized to levy a tax
for library purposes, or which supports the library at least in
part from local tax revenues other than federal revenue sharing.
Such a library is established by a city, village, incorporated
town, township, county or library district under the Illinois
Local Library Act [75 ILCS 5], the Village Library Act [75 ILCS
40], Division 5-38 of the Counties Code, Public County Library
Service [55 ILCS 5/Div. 5-38], the Village Library Conversion Act
[75 ILCS 45], the Library Property Sale Act [75 ILCS 55], and the
Illinois Public Library District Act [75 ILCS 15]. This definition
excludes free public libraries established by villages but not
supported at least in part from local tax revenues, and
incorporated free public libraries not established by a
governmental unit.
"School Library." The library or
libraries of an elementary and/or secondary school district, or
private elementary and/or secondary schools under a single
governing authority.
"Special Library." The library of, or
under the governing authority of, any body or institution not
defined elsewhere, in the Administrative Rules for Systems as
established by the State Librarian.
III. CATEGORIES OF SYSTEM MEMBERSHIP
- "Developmental Library Membership" Category for a library
which can meet the Definition of a "Library" as well as the
Definition applying to their specific type of library, but cannot
meet the Criteria for Full System Membership. A public library
shall also meet either the financial requirements for state per
capita grants to public libraries as stated in the Act or levy a
tax that produces a revenue of $6.00 per capita. Developmental
members would be eligible for the following services: state
grants, consulting, system communications, and continuing
education. Representatives from developmental member libraries are
not eligible for system board status.
- "Full System Membership." Category for a library which can
meet the Definition of a "Library" as well as the Definition
applying to their specific type of library, and can additionally
meet the Criteria for Full System Membership. Full System members
are eligible for all System services including state grants,
consulting, continuing education, reciprocal borrowing, delivery,
interlibrary loan, reference, and automation/bibliographic access.
A full member is also eligible for voting representation on the
Board of Directors.
- Anytime a member library fails to meet RPLS standards for full
System membership, they may be placed in the developmental library
member category. (See Section VII for an explanation of the
developmental process.)
IV. CRITERIA FOR FULL SYSTEM MEMBERSHIP
- An academic library must either be
accredited, or making significant progress toward accreditation,
by the agency empowered to grant such status. Institutional
enrollment, collection size, and annual growth rate of collection
determine the number of librarians required by a higher
educational institution. At no time will the number of
professional librarians (possessing a Master’s degree in
librarianship) be less than one who works at least 37 ˝ hours per
week during the academic year.
- A public library must be open at least 20 hours per week. It
must be staffed by at least one paid employee whose primary duty
is to serve the library as a librarian. Additionally that employee
must work at least 20 hours per week during times when the library
is open. The library must have a line item in their budget for
materials. The library must also maintain a card or electronic
catalog for access to its collection. The library must issue
library cards with an expiration date to patrons. Newly hired
directors of Public Libraries must attend the Illinois State
Library “Small Public Library Management Institute” within the
first two years of employment.
- A school district or private school
must be recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education.
Public school districts will be affiliated as school districts.
There must be a library in 50% of
attendance centers. Attendance centers are defined as Elementary,
Intermediate, Middle, Junior High or High Schools.
There must be a minimum of one
qualified librarian in a school district or private school who
works in a library(ies), as librarian, for a minimum 50% of the
hours required for full time staff per week. There must be
trained staff in all attendance centers with libraries. The
qualified librarian hired by the school district could provide
this training. Private schools must have a qualified librarian or
a librarian with an MSLIS degree.
A qualified librarian is an employee who has a teacher
certificate, if applicable, and at least 24 semester hours in
media and/or library science. This individual should possess
competence and specialization in both library media and subject
areas in order to provide leadership in the development of
services. Qualified librarians employed before July 1, 2006 are
grandfathered in under the previous endorsement rules See Illinois
Administrative Rules Section 25.100 Endorsing Teacher
Certificates.
The school district or private school
must have a line item in their education budget for library
materials.
The libraries must also maintain a
card or electronic catalog for access to its collection.
If the loss of qualified personnel
causes a library to no longer meet this criteria and a qualified
librarian cannot be hired, full membership status will continue
for a period of three years while the new librarian actively works
towards qualified librarian status.
- A special library must be open at
least 20 hours per week. It must be staffed by at least one paid
employee whose primary duty is to serve as a librarian.
Additionally that employee must work at least 20 hours per week
during times when the library is open. The library must have a
line item in their budget for materials or monetary support
provided in the organizations budget. The library must also
maintain a card or electronic catalog for access to its
collection.
- To maintain full membership, the member library staff must
attend at least one continuing education event (equaling 3 hours)
each year. This event could be.
- training or CE sponsored by RPLS,
- attendance at a professional library association conference,
- training/CE (Opal Sessions) sponsored by another library system, the Illinois State Library, or professional library association, or
- library science or applicable college courses relevant to the library field, i.e. computers, administration.
Beginning July 2009, the requirement will be one (1) event per FTE on library staff.
V. MEMBER LIBRARY RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE SYSTEM:
- Regardless of library affiliation,
member libraries now and in the future will assume responsibility
for:
- Hiring qualified librarians to direct the library. The goal of
the library should be to employ an individual with a Masters
Degree in Library Science (MLS). The goal of schools should be to
employ an individual with a Library Information Specialist
endorsement. Certification as a Library Technical Assistant (LTA)
is the minimum desired level of education.
- Handling the majority of their own patrons' needs for library
materials and services. Library collections and resources should
reflect the formally assessed needs of the library's primary
clientele.
- Providing reciprocal borrowing for member public libraries and
reciprocal access for all member libraries. Both services are to
be provided on intra-system and inter-system levels. Reviewing
possibilities for expanding and/or consolidating efforts to
address unmet needs. (Full System Membership only)
- Exploring and encouraging cooperative arrangements among
libraries in the System's geographical area of responsibility,
which may include: cooperative collection development efforts;
automation/bibliographic access; participation in Serials of
Illinois Libraries Online (SILO); System studies and programs for
addressing the informational needs of inhabitants of Rolling
Prairie Library System's area of responsibility and the State of
Illinois through informational access and borrowing. (Full System
Membership only)
- Annually submitting a Profile Sheet to the
System and any other evidence as the System may reasonably require
from them for evaluation and planning of activities within the
System.
- Working toward fulfilling the Plan for System Cooperation and
the Standards for the Services of Illinois Multitype Library
Systems.
- Participating whenever practical in relevant and beneficial
grant programs.
- Cooperating in the provision of System services and in some
cases assisting in providing System services, by following the
guidelines for member library responsibilities given in the RPLS
Procedures Manual.
- All System members, and applicants
for membership, will adhere to requirements as stipulated in of
the Rolling Prairie Library System By-Laws. Additionally,
libraries will attend to the following:
- Shall adopt a plan for making significant
progress toward meeting the most current appropriate certifying,
accrediting, and/or professional organization standards applicable
to the type of library they represent.
- Regardless of standards employed
and applied to member libraries, as well as future applicants for
System membership, these System standards will build upon:
STRENGTHS rather than WEAKNESSES; PROGRESS TOWARD acceptable
standards rather than maintaining a STATUS QUO; and affirm the
statement on page 3 of Serving Our Public “The standards
are not a celebration of mediocrity nor are they intended to
provide a level of comfort by showing activities or statistics
that represent a hypothetical average. Rather the standards
provide a path, sometimes difficult, to an ideal.”
VI. ROLLING PRAIRIE LIBRARY SYSTEM RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Help existing libraries of all types
to reach their full potential by:
- Developing member library
capabilities.
- Supplementing member library
services.
- Encourage member library
participation in grant programs available to libraries through the
provision of continuing education and consulting support.
- Facilitate cooperative activities
among libraries and promote interlibrary cooperation.
- Promote library service within the
System area.
- Promote, encourage, and facilitate the formal education of
library staff through college programs leading to an MLS, Library
Information Specialist endorsement or certification, or Library
Technical Assistant certification.
- Promote public support and awareness
of libraries.
- Encourage effective management of
library resources and services.
- Fulfill the goals of the System as
set forth in its Long-Range Plan
VII. DEVELOPMENTAL LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP PROCESS:
- Academic, school, and special
libraries seeking membership must at least meet the Illinois State
Library minimum criteria (developmental library category). Public
libraries seeking membership must at least meet the Illinois State
Library minimum criteria (developmental library category) and the
eligibility criteria as established by the Illinois State Library
in its Administrative Rules for membership in a library system
(Section 3030.35) upon application to be accepted.
- Anytime a library in the developmental library membership
category meets the criteria for full membership, the library will
then be placed in the category of full System membership.
- Anytime a member library fails to meet RPLS standards for full
System membership, they may be placed in the developmental library
member category. Anytime a member library does not meet the
criteria for developmental library membership, such library will
be notified of membership suspension proceedings.
- Suspension of a library from membership will be subject to the
procedures for notification and appeal found in the System's
By-Laws and Section 3030-115 of the Administrative Rules for
Library Systems.
- Any library not meeting full
membership requirements may be classified as a developmental
library member if they meet the Definition of "Developmental
Library Membership." A developmental library member must make
progress toward full System membership. Progress will be
determined by the System and must be cumulative. Timetable for
progress:
- A library is given 5 years to demonstrate
progress.
- If no annual progress is made, suspension
proceedings will begin.
- If, at the end of the 5 years, a
library does not meet full System membership requirements,
suspension proceedings will begin.
- An additional year of developmental
membership may be granted to a library if the library system
determines that extraordinary circumstances interrupted progress
toward meeting the criteria for full membership.
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