EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

When Virginia is taken as a whole and library input measures are compared to those of other states, the Old Dominion State looks average. Fiscal year (FY) 2003 statistics (the most recent comprehensive statistics available) show Virginia ranking 25th among the states in operating income per capita, 27th on materials expenditures per capita and 29th on total staff per 25,000 population. On the "output" side the Commonwealth ranks 30th in visits per capita, but, in what should be considered a tribute to hard working library staff members across the State, 15th in circulation per capita.

However, a closer examination reveals that characterizing Virginia’s performance on common measures of library service as "average" is somewhat misleading. Although the statewide operating income per capita is $ 28.41, the annual statistics reported by Virginia libraries for FY 2004 shows that income per capita for library operations ranged from $ 8.25 to $ 136.72. While the statewide average is 8.48 circulations per capita, this measure varied among Virginia libraries from 1.26 items per person to 28.72 items per person.

The wide variation in both input and output measures raises questions regarding both the quality of library services offered in some libraries and the equity of library and information services offered across the Commonwealth.

The following report organizes the findings and recommendations growing out of this study into four major categories. They are quality of public library services, equity of access to quality public library services, funding, and advocacy/public awareness.

The recommendations are designed to provide an outline for actions that would result in improved public library services for all Virginians. If implemented, the consultants believe that they would ensure that the "Commonwealth’s public libraries are prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century as valued community resources responsive to the rapid change in technology and society." If the recommendations are ignored, it is our opinion that the gap between the high performing and the marginal libraries in the State will grow and that an increasing number of Virginians will be deprived of a valuable resource that can help them succeed in school, on the job, and in their daily lives.

Recommendations: Quality of Public Library Services

Recommendation # 1: Review, revise, and strengthen public library standards.

Recommendation # 2: Review and seek the strengthening of Code of Virginia and administrative rules regarding the certification of public library directors.

Recommendation # 3: Develop a comprehensive curriculum for all library workers based on recognized skills and competencies and implement a coordinated program of continuing education.

Recommendation # 4: Encourage the Virginia Library Association to develop an annual awards program to recognize libraries that meet or exceed standards.

Recommendations: Equity of Access to Quality Public Library Services

Recommendations: Funding

Recommendations: Advocacy/Public Awareness

Priorities

While the consultants believe that action is needed on all 17 of the recommendations presented above, a variety of factors suggest that immediate attention can be given to some while acting on others will require considerably more extensive groundwork and preparation.  The consultants have identified four of the recommendations that, in our opinion, should be addressed without delay.

Recommendations identified for immediate attention include:

#6 - Additional State Aid program to address equity issues,

#2 - Revisiting and strengthening the certification requirements for library directors

#14 - Development of library advocacy efforts modeled on the Ohio Library Council (OLC)

#16 - Development of a more symbiotic/synergistic relationship between the Library of Virginia and the public libraries of the Commonwealth

Priorities

While the consultants believe that action is needed on all 17 of the recommendations presented above, a variety of factors suggest that immediate attention can be given to some while acting on others will require considerably more extensive groundwork and preparation.  The consultants have identified four of the recommendations that, in our opinion, should be addressed without delay.

Recommendations identified for immediate attention include:

#6 - Additional State Aid program to address equity issues,

#2 - Revisiting and strengthening the certification requirements for library directors

#14 - Development of library advocacy efforts modeled on the Ohio Library Council (OLC)

#16 - Development of a more symbiotic/synergistic relationship between the Library of Virginia and the public libraries of the Commonwealth

INTRODUCTION

It’s 8:55 on a sunny September morning in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Every few moments another car pulls up to the library’s drive-through book-drop and deposits books, CDs and DVDs. A small group of people is gathering in the library’s front lobby awaiting opening time. A woman in a business suit glances at her watch as two older gentlemen share their observations on the weather, Washington, and the world. A man in his mid-thirties carrying a bundle of overstuffed file folders walks around a kiosk, which is filled with notices of community events. An electronic signboard at the top announces the library programs scheduled for the next week.

A mother and her eight-year old daughter sit on a bench pouring over what appears to be a text book. A woman in a hotel housekeeper’s uniform joins the group and a middle-aged man drives up in a pick-up truck and parks near the library’s entrance just as a staff member approaches the inner door with keys in hand. Another day is about to begin at the public library.

As the door opens, the gathered group streams into the building, each with a specific purpose in mind. The senior men head for the comfortable chairs in the periodicals section where the staff has just put out today’s morning newspapers. They’ll soon be joined by three or four other "regulars" who will sip coffee, scan the newspapers and discuss the issues of the day. Occasionally they glance up at four flat screen TVs mounted on a nearby wall that are set to closed captioning and are tuned to CNN Headline News, the Weather Channel, CNBC, and Fox News.

The woman in the business suit heads to a study table, opens her briefcase, takes out her laptop computer and spreads some papers out next to it. It only takes her a moment to log on to the library’s wireless network so she can check her e-mail and updated information from her home office in Atlanta. This library serves as her office away from home whenever she’s servicing clients in Virginia. The man with the file folders heads to an area under a sign that reads "Foundation Collection." He opens his files and sits down at a computer terminal to continue researching potential sources for the grant application that he’s preparing for a local non-profit organization.

The hotel housekeeper and the man in the pick-up truck both head to the computer reservation terminals and are quickly assigned a computer to use. Before she leaves, the woman will update her resume, will scour several job sites, and will submit her qualifications to three prospective employers. She’s pleased that she’s able to include the fact that she recently completed an online course in hospitality management using library computers as her classroom.

The man in the pick-up truck man also checks his e-mail. He does so every morning at opening time. He’s exceptionally pleased today when he finds a response to a message he sent yesterday to his daughter, a Second Lieutenant in the Army, who has been stationed in Iraq for the last seven months. Assured that his daughter is safe and sound for another day, he sends off his daily message and then moves on to several websites. He checks the Washington Post and New York Times headlines and proceeds to another site to see how the Nationals fared in last night’s game against the Phillies.

By now, the mom and her home-schooled child have already picked out several books on early settlements in the Americas. They had checked the library’s catalog online from home and were able to go directly to specific materials on Christopher Newport, John Smith, and the Jamestown Colony. The Youth Services Librarian asks if they’re familiar with the "Virtual Jamestown" website and directs them to a link on the library’s web page that takes them to images of original maps and copies of correspondence written by the early settlers. The mother and daughter will be joined in a few minutes by two other home schoolers and their parents for a weekly study session held in the library’s group study room.

Meanwhile, the first of several class visits for the day is arriving. A class of 24 fifth graders gather in the all-purpose room for a brief orientation session. A reference librarian is about to present a PowerPoint™ that covers how to use both online and print reference resources. After the presentation, half of the class will go to the library’s "Tech Center" to gain some hands-on experience using quality electronic resources while the balance of the class gets a similar opportunity to learn more about some of the library’s print reference tools. After an hour, the groups will switch places. By the end of the visit, the students will understand that research involves much more than doing a Google™ or Yahoo™ keyword search.

Across town, the library’s bookmobile has just arrived at a senior housing complex. About 10 seniors climb aboard to browse the newly restocked shelves. Two people pick up reserve books they had requested during the previous weekly visit of the bookmobile. One of the bookmobile staff unloads a small cart of books and takes them into the community center building where she exchanges the materials in a small deposit collection. The staff member also drops off a Bi-Folkal™ kit at the office of the Activities Director and picks up a kit that was used for a program during the preceding week. After 45 minutes, the bookmobile folds up shop and heads to the next stop at a pre-school several miles down the road.

Back at the library, a group of emergency medical technicians is gathering in the all-purpose meeting room that was recently vacated by the fifth graders. They’re about to participate in a video teleconference program on emergency preparedness. The session is part of a series of distance education classes offered by the Tidewater Community College. Meanwhile, the library’s public access computers have filled to capacity. A library technology assistant is helping a woman format a newsletter for the local historical society using Adobe Pagemaker™. The woman took a class on using the software package two weeks ago and just needs a quick refresher in how to nest a photo within a block of text.

s Another computer user is logged on to a session of an online Human Resources Management course he’s are taking through the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. The woman at the next workstation is researching used car ratings and prices.

Eight or nine people are scattered among the tables at the library café. A woman sitting at a table by herself is lost in a new treasure she found in the new book section as she sips her cappuccino. At another table, a man pages through a book that he just bought at the Friends of the Library bookshop that adjoins the café area. A lawyer and her client sit at a third table and sip coffee as they review contract language before heading to a real estate closing.

Throughout the day, a constant stream of people combine their visit to the library to select books, books-on-CD and DVDs with a viewing of the new exhibit of a local artist’s work in the gallery area. Reference librarians are busy answering questions that arrive in person, by telephone, and through the library’s website.

Several people are in the local history room. One is methodically working her way through microfilm reels for a long discontinued newspaper. She’s doing research for a local history column she writes for the current weekly paper. Meanwhile, another person sits at a computer workstation and transfers records from 3x5 cards into an online cemetery index that is being produced for the library by the genealogical society.

Mid-afternoon, a pre-school class arrives at the library. They’re headed to the children’s program area to listen to a master storyteller share an African folktale called The King and the Tortoise. At the end of the tale, each child will go to the craft area where they’ll make a tortoise to take home with them.

After school, the teens arrive and quickly head to the Teen Area. Three begin to work on a PowerPoint™ presentation at an oversized computer workstation. The presentation will be their report for a group project they’re doing for their social studies class. A pair of sixteen year olds don headphones to listen to a DVD that they’re watching in the video den. The video will be the subject of a discussion program scheduled for later that afternoon. They’re going to compare Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film version of War of the Worlds with H.G. Wells’ original novel written in 1898. The program was planned by the library’s teen advisory council, which is composed of a dozen kids ranging in age from 14 to 18.

The after school hours also signals the arrival of a host of younger schoolchildren, some of whom arrive with a parent or grandparent. Other children arrive by themselves and quickly choose their spots in the children’s room. Several spread out and start working on their homework while others head directly for the "series" books to see if they can find the next episode in the lives of their favorite characters. A retired teacher who volunteers four afternoons each week during the school year makes the rounds providing homework help. A children’s room assistant is showing a man and his six-year old son where to find the books on dinosaurs. A children’s librarian is beginning an after-school program for fifth and sixth graders. Many of these children are regulars who show up nearly everyday. Several kids are sitting at colorful computer stations playing educational games.

The middle of the afternoon also brings a tour that includes local elected officials, the director of the chamber of commerce and the advance team of a high-tech firm that is considering relocating to the area. The library is one of the premiere sites on the community’s "economic development" tour that is given to commercial prospects.

The meeting rooms at the library are busy throughout the evening. A group of 15 would-be entrepreneurs are meeting in a large conference room with representatives of the Small Business Administration and the Senior Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). Among other things, they learn that they can attend a class later in the week in the library’s Tech Center on how to develop a business plan. In another conference room, a group of 12 mystery fans are gathered to discuss "Trace," Patricia Cornwell’s latest "whodunit." Several of the study rooms are in use. In one, a literacy volunteer tutors a young man in his twenties who is working toward a Graduate Equivalency Diploma (G.E.D.). In another study room, a second volunteer who is fluent in Spanish works with woman who has recently arrived in the United States and who is beginning to learn English.

A public hearing about a proposed highway expansion is taking place in the al-purpose meeting room. A family story hour is being held in the children’s program room. The interactive session helps new parents learn how to engage their infants in important pre-literacy activities that help develop speech and motor skills.

A steady stream of adults and young adults pass through the library doors all evening long. Some are looking for a good murder mystery; others search for a book to help them deal with a health issue or to give them decorating ideas. College students occupy several study carrels scattered throughout the building. The Tech Center is offering a training session in how to use Microsoft Excel™. Every workstation is filled.

At 10 PM, the library finally closes its doors for the day, but library service doesn’t end. Well into the night, people are accessing the library’s web site to reserve and renew books and to access the "Find It Virginia" databases. Reference service also continues after hours because a group of Virginia libraries have banded together to offer virtual reference service on a "24X7" basis. Citizens can call an "800" info line number anytime between 9 in the evening and 9 in the morning for reference assistance. Each night of the week, a different library in a different part of the state provides the staffing and resources for the service. The phone calls are seamlessly routed to the appropriate library. The virtual reference service also answers reference questions online in "real time."

Far-fetched? Not really. The scenario portrayed above isn’t a dream. At least in some areas of the State, the description of a day in the life of a Virginia public library is closer to fact than fiction. Unfortunately, in other areas of the Commonwealth, the reality is significantly different.

Virginia’s connection to books and reading is particularly strong. After all, the core of the grandest public library of them all, the Library of Congress, was first housed on a mountaintop near Charlottesville and the main buildings at the Library of Congress are named for Jefferson and Madison. Jefferson’s personal declaration that "I cannot live without books..." is enough to warm any librarian’s heart.

However, some other words of Jefferson and Madison are even more important in considering the public library as an important institution in society. Both Jefferson and Madison frequently linked an informed citizenry with liberty. Jefferson intoned,

Enlighten the people, generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.

Madison added,

Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: and a people who mean to be their own governours, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.

We cannot help believing that if Jefferson and Madison were alive today, that they would be powerful advocates for public libraries. In 1787, Jefferson wrote the following words to Madison:

Above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to, convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty.

The American public library stands as one of the nation’s most important institutions. It has been called "the people’s university" because it is the place where anyone seeking knowledge can access information without a means test or reference to the social register. It is a thoroughly democratic institution that crosses all socio-economic lines and offers relevant services to all.

In the early 1990s, many pundits were predicting the demise of the public library. They reasoned that the Internet would make the public library extraneous. Instead, what we have witnessed over the past fifteen years is the re-emergence of the public library as an even more robust institution. The number of people passing through the doors of public libraries is at an all-time high. Cities and counties across America have been building twenty-first century libraries that combine books with non-print media and electronic resources. In 2005, more people will pass through the doors of public libraries than through the doors of any other type of public building. Turnstile counts at the nation’s sports arenas pale in comparison to door counts at public libraries.

How are public libraries in the land of Jefferson and Madison faring? How well is the education of the common people being "attended to?" How are Virginia’s public libraries contributing to the vitality of the Commonwealth and to the quality of life enjoyed by Virginians? The report that follows examines these important questions and offers concrete recommendations outlining how public library services can be strengthened.

BACKGROUND

In November 2004, the Library of Virginia issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for assistance in conducting a comprehensive study of public library services in the Commonwealth. The charge to prospective consultants was extensive. The RFP stated that, "The results of this study will assist the Library of Virginia in assuring that the Commonwealth’s public libraries are prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century as valued community resources responsive to the rapid change in technology and society."

In carrying out the charge, the Himmel & Wilson team made a concerted effort to learn as much as possible about Virginia’s public libraries. Between March and July 2005, the consultants visited more than sixty libraries in every region of the State. Included in the site visits were large urban libraries and small rural facilities, branch libraries and main libraries, brand new suburban facilities and facilities that have served as libraries for many decades in well established communities. In most instances, the consultants were able to interview the director or branch manager. Library staff members were also interviewed or, in some cases, participated in group sessions.

In addition, twelve focus groups were held with library directors and thirteen sessions were held with library trustees and representatives of "Friends" organizations. These sessions were held in thirteen different locations throughout the State ranging from Arlington to Lebanon and from Roanoke and Chatham to Hampton and Chesapeake. A total of 159 people participated in these sessions.

The consultants met with library directors at the meeting of the Virginia Public Library Director’s Association in Graves Mountain in April 2005. Several web-based surveys were used to solicit ideas and opinions from the Virginia library community. One survey that targeted directors and project Steering Committee members explored the current and future roles of the Library of Virginia in library development activities. There were 124 responses to this survey. Another series of surveys sought opinions from reference librarians, children’s service librarians, technology staff, and general library staff in addition to directors. These surveys garnered a total of 536 responses.

Personal interviews were conducted with a total of 26 individuals (in addition to interviews with directors and branch managers during site visits). Among those interviewed were members of the Virginia House of Delegates; representatives of the Library of Virginia, including the Librarian of Virginia; representatives of the Virginia Library Association (VLA), including the President, Past President, Executive Director, and the legislative advocate; representatives of organizations representing cities and counties in the Commonwealth; and staff of the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System.

The consultants also reviewed a significant amount of background information and analyzed statistical information related to the public library services offered to the people Virginia. Comparisons were made both between the performance of Virginia’s public libraries and those in other states, and among Virginia’s public libraries.

Finally, the consultants were privileged to work with a Steering Committee composed of talented individuals committed to quality public library services and with the staff of the Library of Virginia’s Library Development and Networking Division. The consultants met with the Steering Committee and with staff on several occasions during the project to gain insight into the challenges facing Virginia’s public libraries and to gauge reactions to emerging findings and recommendations. The consultants also held sessions in Arlington, Charlottesville, Newport News, Henrico County, Halifax and Pulaski to share preliminary findings with the library community. A total of 45 people attended these sessions.

Findings - Prologue

When Virginia is taken as a whole and library input measures are compared to other states, the Old Dominion State ends up looking, at best, average. For example, using the fiscal year (FY) 2003 statistics (the most recent comprehensive statistics available) collected through the Federal-State Cooperative System (FSCS) and compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics, Virginia ranks 25th among the states in Operating Income per Capita ($28.41). The state ranks 27th on Materials Expenditures per Capita ($ 3.95) and 29th on Total Staff per 25,000 Population (11.73).

Findings - Quality of Public Library Services

If one sought a single word to capture the state of public library services in Virginia, it would have to be "uneven." Himmel & Wilson has worked on statewide studies of library services in more than twenty states. The spectrum of public library services in Virginia is among the widest we have witnessed.

However, the breadth of this spectrum isn’t entirely bad news. The libraries at the "high end" offer some of the finest public library services we have seen in the nation. For example, Arlington’s Central Library’s hours of service (76 hours per week - open four nights a week until 10 PM and open 8 hours on Sundays) are the best we have encountered. The highly developed web presence of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library provides a model worthy of emulation by much larger libraries throughout the United States. The adult programming offered by the Fairfax County Public Library for people of all ages is truly exceptional. Several libraries in the Hampton Roads area have highly developed partnerships that support various aspects of early childhood development. The Hampton Public Library’s exemplary Healthy Families Partnership with the Hampton Health Department and a variety of other community-based agencies seeks to ensure that every child in Hampton is born healthy and enters school ready to learn.

At the same time, the consultants also found that Virginia has a significant number of libraries at the bottom end of the spectrum. For example, the consultants visited a public library in Virginia that offers no public Internet access. We discovered a regional library with no web presence. Three libraries in Virginia expended less than $ 1.00 per capita on new materials in 2004. Our site visits revealed that numerous library buildings are not in full compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act Guidelines. Several libraries offer little or nothing in the way of non-print formats.

"Quality" can be a somewhat subjective term when it is applied to library service. Because public libraries fulfill many different community needs, there can be differences of opinion in terms of what constitutes quality. For example, if an individual values public libraries solely for their print materials, she or he may not be troubled that some of Virginia’s libraries offer little or nothing in the way of audio or video materials. On the other hand, the expenditure of less than $ 1.00 per capita on new materials might be seen as a significant deficiency. An individual with a disabling condition may not care too much about the collection of materials housed in a facility that is inaccessible to them.

No single measure can be used to determine whether a library offers quality services. It is necessarily a combination of factors. In the end, quality is a matter of the degree to which libraries are relevant to the people in their communities and are meeting individual needs. However, there is considerable agreement about many of the components that contribute to quality.

Virginia has a valuable document in place that attempts to identify these components. Planning for Library Excellence, while a bit dated at this point, is a fundamentally sound tool. There is no question that if all libraries in Virginia met all of the standards and guidelines presented in the document that the people of Virginia would be receiving improved services.

The eight categories used to organize the standards and guidelines document are also sound. They are:

• Governance, Administration, and Planning
• Access
• Library Services
• Collections
• Facilities
• Technology
• Personnel
• Community and Public Relations


Unfortunately, most of the standards and guidelines presented in Planning for Library Excellence have little in the way of teeth. There is, in fact, a relatively small set of "requirements" that must be met in order to qualify for state aid. The consultants have reviewed the requirements and believe that they are fundamentally sound. We believe that enforcement of this basic set of standards is critically important as a first step.

One particular concern in terms of the quality of library service is in the area of staffing and continuing education. As was illustrated in the introduction to this report, the 21st Century public library is more than just a passive warehouse of books. Professional leadership and an ongoing honing and refining of staff skills and competencies are critical to the success of Virginia’s public libraries.

Unlike some states, Virginia has been largely successful in addressing one major challenge. Through incentives for the formation of regional libraries, Virginia has been able to create larger, more efficient units of service. However, larger and often more complex governance units also deserve a high level of professional expertise in planning and implementing quality library services.

The past year has actually seen a deterioration of Virginia’s certification program for librarians and library directors at a time when what is truly needed is an even stronger program. Greater coordination of continuing education for library staff at all levels is also lacking. Other states on the eastern seaboard, including Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware, are working to develop comprehensive programs that will ensure that library staff at all levels will have the appropriate skills to offer quality library services.

While a updating of the State’s standards is needed (especially in the staffing and technology areas), an analysis of how State policies and funding programs encourage libraries to make progress toward the standards and guidelines is also needed. If Virginia’s public libraries are going to serve the public well, "library development" needs to be more than part of the name of a division within the Library of Virginia. Developmental policies and funding incentives that encourage excellence also need to be in place.

Developmental incentives such as requiring all library directors to hold a master’s degree in library science from a program accredited by the American Library Association in order to qualify for State aid is not just desirable. It is essential if Virginia’s libraries are going to flourish.

Findings – QUALITY

Findings - Equity of Access to Quality Public Library Services

In the "Quality" section above, the consultants highlighted the fact that some Virginia libraries offer exemplary service while others are struggling to meet basic standards. The listings of libraries offered in the section above are merely a sampling of what the consultants observed and documented at the extremes. Many other libraries could be cited for exemplary services or for significant deficiencies. The point is that there is a wide gulf between a moderate number of high performance libraries and a significant number of struggling libraries. Depending on what criteria are applied, a case can be made for considering 15 – 20 of Virginia’s libraries as being exemplary. By the same token, at least 25, and perhaps as many as 40, of Virginia’s libraries could be considered sub-standard at least in some significant category. Approximately 40 libraries perform moderately well and deliver what might be considered an acceptable level of service.

The salaries and benefits offered to library workers in some areas of the state are poor. In some cases, libraries are overly dependent on part-time staff because of efforts to minimize the amount of the library’s budget that must be devoted to paying for basic benefits such as health insurance and retirement. These realities often make it difficult for these libraries to recruit and retain qualified workers. The situation is likely to get worse as the "graying" of the library profession continues. A few states, most notably Georgia, have instituted "personnel grants" that ensure that every county library has at least one staff member with a master’s degree in library science. While these people are not state employees, the amount of the grant is sufficient to pay an MLS at a level comparable to public educators with similar educational credentials. A program such as this might be considered as part of a supplemental "equity" funding package.

One bright spot in the equity of access issue is "Find It Virginia." The statewide licensing of a package of quality electronic information services offers residents of all parts of the Commonwealth extremely valuable, comparable resources. The importance of this program cannot be overstated.

Some other states have a larger number of libraries that can be considered inadequate; however, in very few states is the gap between the high end and the low end as striking as it is in the Old Dominion State. In large measure, the quality and quantity of public library service that is available to Virginians is dependent on where one lives. Although there are some notable exceptions, residents of northern and eastern Virginia have access to much better public library service than residents of the southern and western portions of the Commonwealth.

It would also appear that the quality and quantity of public library service are somewhat dependent on the relative wealth of the library’s service area. Of the 20 counties and cities with the lowest circulation of library materials per capita, 19 of the jurisdictions had median household incomes below the state median. Only New Kent County had a higher than average income while falling in the bottom group in circulation per capita. In contrast, of the 20 counties and cities with the highest circulation per capita, 13 also exceeded the state median household income. Furthermore, three of the seven jurisdictions with median household incomes below the state average that nevertheless performed well in circulation per capita are part of regional systems that include other jurisdictions with above average household incomes. Ironically, it appears that public library service is often poorest in the areas that would benefit from quality library and information services the most. The maps on the next page illustrate the correlation between household income and library use.

In short, it is clear that high quality library service is available in some areas of the Commonwealth and that a lack of access to high quality public library service is an issue in other areas of the State.

Recommendation # 4

Equity of Access to Quality Public Library Services

Recommendation # 5

Recommendation # 6

Recommendation # 7

Funding

Recommendation # 8

Recommendation # 9

Recommendation # 10

Recommendation # 11

Recommendation # 12

Recommendation # 13

Advocacy/Public Awareness

Recommendation # 14

Recommendation # 15

Recommendation # 16

Recommendation # 17

PRIORITIES