Public Library Certification

To be eligible for state and federal grants, a library must be certified by the Utah State Library Division (USL). A library must meet the legal definition of a public library and conform to certain minimum standards.

Only standards applicable at the earliest stage of decision-making are listed below. You can download the entire document at:
library.utah.gov/librarian_resources/documents/
CertificationStandards2006.doc.

Additional information can be found at: www.alpinepubliclibraryassociation.blogspot.com.

Scott Kenney

Definition

A Public Library is defined in the Utah Code as a library that has been established and is maintained by a county or city or combination thereof. Public libraries are financially supported by the local government entity responsible for its establishment and maintenance and staffed by employees hired and responsible to that entity. These libraries must have a board of trustees.

Governance

• The jurisdiction (county and/or city government) has made the decision to establish and maintain a public library.
• The jurisdiction has established a Board of Directors for the public library.

Funding/Finances

• The jurisdiction funds a formal annual budget. …
• The jurisdiction provides at least 65% of the library’s operating expenses …

Personnel

• The library director has acquired formal library or related management training through an accredited institution of higher education, or has completed the State Library’s UPLIFT program. [Minimum of 1.3 FTE employees.]

Materials & Resources

• The library has a publicly funded budget to purchase materials. [$2,000 minimum.]

Technology

• The library provides public access Internet stations to reasonably accommodate community demand.

Facilities

• Library facilities are publicly owned or leased, [and are] publicly maintained, …

Let's begin the process

Surveys consistently show that Alpiners want a public library.

Venues

Proponents are considering three possible venues:

• Park at 100 South 600 East
• Joint venture with Highland City (near their city hall southwest of Kohler’s)
• Alpine Arts Council’s proposed Community Center on Main Street

Certification

Regardless of which site is selected, in order to qualify for state and federal grants,

• The library must be certified by the Utah State Library Division
• “Certification is based on the commitment of a city to spend public funds on staff, materials, and the construction, purchase, or lease of a library facility.” (Craig Neilson, Manager of Library Resources)

In other words, city buy-in and funding is essential. Private donations alone will not suffice.

Study and Public Hearings

At the next meeting of the City Council, we will ask a committee be appointed to study the options and make recommendations to the City Council.

Fact Sheet

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Alpine and the state

• There are 120 public libraries in Utah. [1]
• Alpine is probably the only community of its size in Utah without a public library. [2]

Construction costs

• A suitable full-service library for a community of Alpine’s size is approximately 15,000 sq. ft. @ $200/foot ($3 million). [3]
• Construction costs have risen 44% over the past three years. [4]
• Allowing $500,000 for cost increases by the time construction begins, the cost per household would be approximately $10.16/month over twenty years, or $15.67/month over ten. [5]
• Building just a first phase would reduce the amount of an initial bond, though the cost of subsequent phases would likely rise.

Utah and the nation [6]

• Utah has the highest percentage in the country of households that used a library in the previous year—61.9% (national average 47.6%).
• Utah has the highest percentage of households that used a public library or bookmobile in the previous month 41.5% (national average 30.6%).
• Distance makes a difference.
  Utah is first in the nation among households living less than one mile from a library, second among households less than two miles, and so forth.
• #1 in less than 1 mile: 71.6% (average 51.6%)
• #2 from 1 to 2 miles: 61.9% (average 50%)
• #7 from 3-5 miles: 56.3% (average 47.4%)
• #12 from 6-10 miles: 51.6% (average 40.9)
  

Services

• In addition to book and DVD checkouts, libraries provide high-speed Internet connections, public meeting rooms, and exhibit space; and lectures and traveling exhibits.
• Certified librarians are information specialist who can assist patrons find the reference books, websites, and electronic databases they need.
• While Wikipedia and other information sites contain a lot of valuable information, few primary sources are online.
• You can browse the catalog and reserve the books you want online. Books from other libraries will be delivered to and returned from the Alpine library.

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[1] Publiclibraries.com/utah.htm.

[2] Allen Roberts, president, Cooper, Roberts, Simonson, and Associates (crsa-us.com).

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Zion’s Bank Public Finance department projection, March 6, 2008.

[6] National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education, 2007 tabulation.