• Basic Grant Standards
• Incentive Grant Standards
• Moving up to the next higher level (category)

Basic Grant Standards

CKLS Basic Grants are based on Standards for Kansas Public Libraries (current revision). This document identifies eight levels of service defined by the population within the city where the library is located.

The levels of library service that pertain to CKLS libraries are:

In 1980 CKLS established categories for the library in each population grouping and attached a Basic Grant amount to each category.

The rationale was that towns with more population would have a larger tax base, and a larger tax base would produce more income for the library, and more revenue for the library would provide for more and better library service.

Since 1980 populations have changed, but CKLS has determined not to lower the Basic Grant for any library whose population has declined below the minimum population guideline for its current level of service category.

The Basic Grants by category are as follows:

In order for a library to move up to the next level or category it must meet the standards listed at the end of the section on System Grant Standards in the System Plan.

Incentive Grant Standards

For years CKLS has tried to relate library activities and programs to quality service. The 2005 System Grant Criteria Review Committee determined that each of the following standards has a significant impact on library service.

If any one of the standards is omitted from the mix of what a library does, services for that library will be diminished. The standards formerly known as Basic Grant Standards have become Incentive Grant Standards or eliminated.

Hours Open by Category
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

The following are CKLS standards for hours open by category:

Major Resource Center II	55+
Major Resource Center I	55
Major Service Center I	35
Service Center	25
Linking Library	16
Gateway Library	10

All libraries, except Gateway Libraries, must have 20 percent of their hours open at times other than 8-5 Monday through Friday and must include some evening and weekend hours.

Hours Open/Paid Librarian
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

A paid librarian shall staff each library whenever the library is open.

Minimum Local Support
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

No CKLS grant may exceed the total amount of local support, which includes:
1. Tax support from mill levy, etc.
2. Salaries and employee benefits paid by the city from its general fund.
3. Utilities, insurance, etc. paid by the city for the library.

Current Budget on File at CKLS (New in 2006)
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

Each library should have a written budget that includes a list of all line items and the associated amounts for each line item for revenue and expenditures for the previous year's actual amounts, the budgeted amounts for the current year, and the amounts proposed for the following year. For additional information check the CKLS trustee manual.

Technology
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

All libraries must have a computer that is connected to the Internet and provide some time during the week for public access.

Collection Development
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

All libraries are expected to maintain attractive collections by weeding (withdrawing) at least 2 percent of the materials collection per year. This can be accomplished by carefully evaluating the collection and withdrawing items that no longer meet the collection development standard and by counting the number of items that were checked out but never returned.

Worksheet for Calculating Weeding Percentage
Number of items in the collection on January 1 ________
Number of items added during the year ________
Number of items withdrawn during the year ________
Number of items in the collection on December 31________
Divide the number of items withdrawn by the number of items in the collection January 1. ___ %

Materials on the KLC
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

All libraries must enter 100 percent of all new materials except mass-market paperbacks on the Kansas Library Catalog. This may be accomplished by having CKLS Technical Services process all new books or by having CKLS enter the bibliographic data on the KLC.

Exterior Signage
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

The exterior of each library must be clearly identified with at least the word LIBRARY in four-inch letters or larger contrasting letters. All libraries must post their hours on a sign in letters large enough to be read from the street or parking area.

Continuing Education
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

Each library must have a policy regarding continuing education that complies with the regulations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which includes paying the librarian while attending a required training event and paying expenses associated with the event.

Policy Review
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

The board of each library shall adopt a written policy for the library. The policy should include a mission statement and cover essential elements of library operations and rules. The policy should be reviewed regularly and as the need arises.

Summer Library Program
Potential effect if standard is met. $200

The summer library program includes an organized program during the summer to encourage reading by having children keep a record of the books they read. The Summer Library program may include activities, crafts, story time, and rewards for reading.

PROGAMMIING FOR TARGETED POPULATIONS
Potential effect if standard for story time or alternative programming is met. $200

Service Center, Linking and Gateway libraries need to do 20 regularly scheduled programs per year. Major Service Center I, Major Service Center II, and Major Resource Center II libraries need to do at least 24 programs per year.

Story Time Program
Story time programs includes regular programs, open to the public, not including the Summer Library Program. These programs may be conducted by regular staff members or by volunteers. They may be conducted outside the library if they are open to the public and include the opportunity to checkout library materials. Two or more story time sessions per week count as one program.

Alternative Programs
In place of regular story time programs the library may conduct programs of special interest for families, youth, adults, or other targeted populations. The alternative events must include regular programs that are held for 10 consecutive weeks or more. They must be open to the public and not be part of the Summer Library Program. These programs may be conducted by regular staff members or by volunteers. They may be conducted outside the library if they include the opportunity to checkout materials.

If the librarian and board decide to do alternative programming to qualify for this grant they must submit a brief outline of the plan to CKLS before assuming that the alternative programming idea will meet the requirement for this incentive grant.

Librarian Training
Potential effect for each program attended up to a maximum of four. $100

Librarians are required to attend four continuing education activities each year. Attendance at workshops and assemblies presented by CKLS count as do library related workshops presented by other agencies. OPAL sessions conducted by CKLS may also count.

Trustee Training
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

CKLS holds trustee workshops every year. A library board member from each library should attend a workshop or program presented by CKLS during the year. Assemblies and events for the librarian may be counted. Alternative Trustee Activity

If no one from the local board attends one of the CKLS Trustee Workshops, the following activity will qualify the library for the grant in this category.

Activity: A CKLS consultant will arrange to attend a local board meeting. He or she will review with board members a Structure and Governance Checklist for Library Boards in Standards for Kansas Public Libraries. The board will set five goals for the library. The board will send a copy of the completed checklist and goals to CKLS.

Marketing the Library
Potential effect if standard is met. $100

Marketing the library means getting the library's image before the people. Any activity outside of the library, which tells of library programs, services or activities may qualify. Examples include news releases, radio spots, cable television advertising, brochures about library service or programs, annual reports, Web site for the library, programs about the library presented by the librarian or others, film nights, art shows, etc.

Moving up to the next higher level (category)

In order for a library to move up to the next higher level of library it must meet the Measurements of Quality: Public Library Standards for Kansas [current] Revision in the following areas:

Population
Hours of service
Cataloged collections

Major Resource Libraries I

Population Hours of service Cataloged collections

25,000 to 100,000 68 3 items per capita

Major Service Centers Level II

Population Hours of service Cataloged collections

10,000 to 25,000 55 5 items per capita

Major Service Centers Level I

Population Hours of service Cataloged collections

2,500 to 10,000 35 7 items per capita

Service Centers

Population Hours of service Cataloged collections

1,000 to 2,500 20 10 items per capita

Linking Libraries

Population Hours of service Cataloged collections

500 to 1,000 15 12 items per capita

Gateway Libraries

Population Hours of service Cataloged collections

500 or less 15 12 items per capita