After your review of the document prepared in September 1997, please consider the following issues:
In addition to those identified in the 1997 document, what other groups are being informed by the StLA survey? Are there groups that did not exist when this issue was last discussed?
The clear message from the group was that the information was too old. Typically, state library administrators were rushing to gather information to respond to questions posed by journalists or government officials. They need information that is current and too that support comparison. Also, often the data needed has not been collected.
| State | Federal | Local Officials | Other |
| State library staff | Mandates from federal government | Local libraries in comparison to each other | News media (journalists) |
| [Legislative and executive staff dealing with state Library Agencies] | Library school students | ||
| Academic institutions | |||
| Consortia (those that work with state library) | |||
| Private foundations | |||
| Vendor community | |||
| General public |
2. What information is needed for policy decisions?
The usefulness of the data is in support of local management goals and objectives. The data must include:
Additional items and issues to consider when collecting data to support policy include:
Who are the consumers of the data collected in the StLA Survey?
Perhaps a NCES/Policy Forum is appropriate to draw awareness to the data and its value. Discussion of other forums occurred, with services to disabled mentioned. (in the NCLIS archive)
3. What is the information you and other user groups need to develop policy?
The discussion around this issue was free flowing. The detail is in the order it occurred in the discussion.
4. Are the categories identified in the 1997 document still valid and useful?
[Functions] Add: Support to state government agencies for print and electronic resources.
If these categories are no longer valid, what have become broad categories?
Overarching policy issues mentioned during the hour-long discussion included:
Review and Re-casting of Policy Questions on StLA
[pages 2-5 of the Notes of the September 1997 Meeting ]
(4) Public Policy Interest in State Library Agencies and use of StLA Data
The Committee discussed state library agencies and public policy questions related to their functions, roles, accomplishments, governance, organization, financing, and use of federal funds. Throughout the discussion, the Committee commented on StLA Survey reports which may (or may not) be helpful as state and federal officials, public administration and policy researchers, and library sectors deal with such questions. In closing the discussion, the Committee identified state and federal officials, library sectors, and public administration and policy researchers as customers of the Survey. Questions included:
[Functions] What are state library agencies? What do they do and why? Do their functions need to be carried out at the state level? If not, should those functions be carried out at a different level of government?
[Governance] What significance is there in the location of a StLA in its state government? How do location in the executive or legislative branch or status as an independent board/commission affect the size, scope, operations, performance, and level of support of a StLA? Does a specific StLA carry out its functions efficiently as compared with the other StLAs or groups of StLAs? How do salaries for StLA personnel compare with others?
[Functions Related to Internet and Information] To what extent does and can a StLA help the people of a state benefit from access to the Internet, to government information, and to information generally? For what purposes? What is the growth of peoples' Internet access in the states? Is there a State interest in using libraries to address its interest in economic development and education? If so, what role might the StLAs carry out in this regard? How will the FCC discount program responsibilities affect the roles of StLA? What are StLA doing with e-rates? What factors support e-rate decisions? How are e-rate efforts being staffed by StLAs? How do the StLAs relate to state-based universal service funds?
[Functions Related to Education] What impact does or should a StLA have on education in a state? How do the various types of school, public, academic, special libraries and library systems relate to the StLA and other state government agencies? What are alternatives to current arrangements? Is there StLA collaboration with higher education, particularly in automation and networking, statewide contracts, resource sharing, etc.? How are StLA and their partners using education/distance learning opportunities and technology? Is it important for the StLA to provide primary leadership for school library media center (SLMC) services; where is a state's SLMC supervision and development responsibility most effectively located in a state's government?
[Telecommunications/Accountability] How does the StLA figure into state information/telecommunication policy and accountability/performance measures and indicators? How do Federal programs such as LSTA and FCC oversight of telecommunications discounts affect StLAs and the people of their states?
[Funding] How are StLAs funded? With what results? Do federal funds displace state funds for support of StLA? If so, have they done so at the expense of assistance to local libraries? Is the StLA the best agency for channeling limited Federal funds? What are trends in support of StLAs and sources of their funding? How significant are funds other than those from regular state and federal appropriations (earmarked funds, special revenue, fees, etc.) in the financing of StLA? To what extent to "parent agencies" support the StLA?
[Federal Impact] How has Federal legislation affected StLA development and services? Do changes in the Federal law enable more libraries to participate in Federally-assisted programs?
[Duplication of Services] Do the library functions of a StLA unnecessarily duplicate those of other libraries in the capital city and elsewhere? What StLA functions relate primarily to the government of the state, individuals, and organizations (including the several types of libraries)? Which StLAs have some responsibility for ensuring public access to government information through open records/public access laws?
[Change] What major shifts are taking place in the way that StLAs do business? How is grant administration and financial assistance to libraries changing? Are there more large projects rather than individual grants? More state aid per capita? How do StLAs support libraries in other ways? How are library systems funded?