Materials Expenditure and Hours Open Accommodation Policy 

FY2010 STATE AID TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROGRAM

The Board of Library Commissioners recognizes the necessity of continuing the policy of accommodation of the standards of the State Aid to Public Libraries program. This policy for the accommodation of the Materials Expenditure and the Hours Open standards seeks to certify as many municipalities as possible while still reinforcing the principles of library service.

A municipality will receive certification for FY2010 State Aid to Public Libraries if it:

• meets the FY2010 Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR), or receives a waiver of the FY2010 MAR,
• meets the materials expenditure and hours open standard at either a full (100%), mid-level (90%), or minimum (80%) amount,
• meets all other statutory and regulatory requirements for State Aid to Public Libraries as contained in 605 CMR 4.01.

State Aid to Public Libraries grants will be awarded to all certified municipalities.

A municipality may meet a reduced standard of as low as 80% of the materials expenditure and hours open requirement contained in regulation (605 CMR 4.01), while continuing to remain certified and receive State Aid to Public Libraries. Award amounts will be unchanged for municipalities meeting 100% of both standards.

Awards for municipalities meeting adjusted standards will be reduced according to compliance with reduced standard, and will be no less than 50% of the full award for meeting the minimum (80%) of both standards. Each standard that is met at a lower level will result in a 12.5% reduction to the full award for each level of reduction. Awards may be made in amounts of; 100%, 87.5%, 75%, 62.5%, 50%. If at the end of the FY2010 grant round funds remain, no second award of State Aid to Public Libraries will be made to a municipality using the flexibility of this policy of accommodation.

Examples: Library A and Library B

Library A with a population of 11,000, is meeting its MAR. For State Aid compliance the library is required to be open 40 hours each week and expend 16% of its budget on library materials. However, it was only open 34 hours and expended 14% on materials, minimum compliance for both standards. As a result, the FY2010 State Aid award will be reduced to 50% of the Cherry Sheet total.

Library B has a population of 17,000 and is meeting its MAR. It is required to be open 50 hours each week and expend 15% of its budget on materials. It was only open 45 hours and spent 14% on library materials, mid-level compliance for both standards. As a result, the FY2010 State Aid award will be reduced to 75% of the Cherry Sheet total.

Adjusted Awards

Materials Expenditure Requirement

Hours Open Requirement

Initial Approval of Policy: April 3, 2003
FY2010 Approval Date: January 3, 2008

State Aid Policies are approved annually