Forwarded on behalf of Jamie Ritter and Bryce Cundick.
On behalf of Bryce Cundick, MLA, and the Public Library Standards Committee, please see the email below from Bryce that went out on May 14 via MELIBS.
Since then, there have been a couple of public forums where this message and the draft standards have been presented. To ensure the broadest possible feedback and input, please review Bryce's email and the Draft Standards and please provide feedback to Bryce by the end of June.
In the months to follow, there will be a release of "ammended" Standards, based on feedback received... another review period, and then the presentation of Final Draft Standards.
Thank you for your interest.
-Jamie Ritter
________________________________
From: Maine Libraries Discussion List <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> on behalf of Bryce Cundick <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Sent: Monday, May 6, 2019 3:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [MELIBS-L] New Maine State Library Standards Draft--FEEDBACK WANTED
EXTERNAL: This email originated from outside of the State of Maine Mail System. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
All--
Historically, the Maine Library Association (MLA) developed and provided
Public Library Standards for Maine's public libraries. In 2013-14, the
Maine State Library Commission reviewed the public library standards and
made a number of modifications. Recently, the Commission asked MLA to take
the work that was done in 2013-14 and to further develop and refine the
public library standards for Maine's public libraries. We agreed, and we
convened a committee to take a look at the current standards and revise
them. Thanks to the committee's hard work, I'm pleased to present you now
with a draft of the new library standards for 2020.
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrive.google.com%2Ffile%2Fd%2F1qdK8vMpbJ70vKQcEXUUJE2-cppWt05Ja%2Fview%3Fusp%3Dsharing&data=02%7C01%7Cjames.ritter%40MAINE.GOV%7C2766a8174fde4054832c08d6d258445e%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C636927673883630885&sdata=KiFcKWt503jLYzSa6vRVTVdjQipxoObSPW4qZgI3Jp0%3D&reserved=0
*Where do they go from here?*
First of all, we'll be taking some in-person input at MLA's annual meeting
this Friday in Topsham. If you can't make it and would like to offer some
input, feel free to email me directly with concerns. We want to hear from
as many public libraries as possible. The committee will be reconvening
over the summer to revise the document. Then it'll get sent out once again
in advance of MLA's annual conference at the end of September. We hope to
present the finished version there for a formal vote of acceptance.
Following that vote, the standards will be presented to the Maine Library
Commission for their endorsement.
*Why do these standards matter?*
The standards have been created in hopes of giving libraries across the
state a tool to measure themselves and inspire their boards to improve as
needed. There are discussions about having some incentives attached to
different levels of the standards, but those conversations are ongoing.
(We plan on announcing them at a later date, before the final standards
are approved.) Ultimately, some state services might be contingent on a
library meeting a certain standard tier. To qualify for official support
from the Maine State Library, all libraries will need to meet the
"Essential" standard.
The Maine State Library will be gathering feedback as to what state
resources should be aligned to the relevant standard tiers and how
libraries not meeting the Essential Standards can develop a plan to meet
that standard. In any event, we agree that there should be a long "on-ramp"
for libraries to meet the standards before the benefits tied to the
standards are official (i.e. over the next three years, take steps to meet
at least essential standards).
*How will these standards be enforced?*
It'll be on an "on your honor" system. Each year, each library will submit
a self-evaluation along with their annual report, indicating which tier of
each standards they meet. If at any time discrepancies between what's been
reported and what's being observed arise, the State Library will discuss
that directly with the library.
*What's still to come?*
We don't plan on having each tier of the standard be an all or nothing
arrangement. To meet the "Essential" threshold, you'll need to meet all the
standards, but for the "Enhanced" and "Exemplary" levels, we are
considering the use of a point system that's still being developed. In
other words, a library will only need to meet most of those standards to
qualify for that level, giving individual libraries some leeway in how they
meet each standard. We want the standards to be used to elevate library
services throughout the state. If all libraries met the "Exemplary" level,
we'd want to take a look at the standards to see where we could set a
higher bar for ourselves. As such, we envision 25% of libraries will meet
the "Essential" tier, 50% will be at the "Enhanced" level, and 25% will be
at the "Exemplary" level.
Do you think the standards are too hard to meet (or too easy)? Let me know!
The bottom line? Give your feedback.
Thanks for your understanding and help as we embark on this new venture.
Respectfully,
Bryce Cundick
Past President
Maine Library Association
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