State Aid to Public Libraries & ARIS Web Blog
‘State Aid to Public Libraries’ Category
As you enter into preparations for submission of your FY2013 budgets to municipal officials, here are a few activities to keep in mind:
- Calculate your library’s FY2013 Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR)
- Calculate your library’s Materials Expenditure requirement
- Review all of the requirements for State Aid to Public Libraries
- Review the State Aid to Public Libraries FY2013 Administrative Policies
- If any line items in your library appropriation from the city/town have been moved to another town department (e.g., utilities are no longer in the town’s appropriation to the library) contact Dianne Carty for help adjusting your requirement.
Any and all questions are welcomed.
dianne.carty@state.ma.us
617-725-1860 or 1-800-952-7403 (in-state)
What you should do as you prepare your FY2011 budget(s):
- Calculate your FY2011 MAR.
- Compare your FY2011 MAR to the budget(s) proposed by the town.
- If it appears that the FY2011 budget will not meet the FY2011 MAR and you will need to apply for a waiver of the FY2011 MAR, you should become familiar with the process well before the state aid application and MAR waiver petitions are due on October 15, 2010.
- If the library budget reduction from FY2010 is more than 10%, you will need to pay particular attention to the MAR waiver process and understand the criteria that are the basis for the Board’s deliberations regarding the granting of waivers of the MAR. Please contact Dianne Carty or Ned Richards.
Details of the FY2011 MAR Calculation
- The formula to use for calculating the FY2011 MAR is: [ (FY2008 + FY2009 + FY2010)/ 3] x 1.025.
- Okay, so those are the years and the formula I use, where do I get the numbers?
- For FY2008 and FY2009 use the numbers from your FY2010 State Aid application. For FY2010 use the figures reported/calculated on your FY2010 application, unless your FY2010 appropriation has changed.
- Okay, that is where I get the numbers, but which numbers do I use–the municipal appropriation or the requirement?
- “The Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR) for each award year is computed using figures for the three prior fiscal years. For each of those three years that a municipality received a State Aid to Public Libraries award, the figure used will be either the MAR or Total Appropriated Municipal Income (TAMI), whichever is higher. If the municipality was not certified for State Aid to Public Libraries in any year, the actual TAMI for that year will be used.”
- So, for your FY2011 MAR calculation: Add together the FY2008 appropriation or requirement, whichever is higher, + the FY2009 appropriation or requirement, whichever is higher, + the FY2010 appropriation or requirement, whichever is higher. Divide the sum by 3. Multiply by 1.025.
Preliminary MAR Waiver Assessment
I cannot tell you what will happen or even where your library stands until I see the FY2011 completed MAR Waiver Worksheet (check out the Worksheet for FY2010 for a preview of the FY2011form) and your FY2011 State Aid Application. However, if the library budget was reduced by more than 10% between FY2010 and FY2011, you should contact me, Dianne Carty, or Ned Richards for help with preliminary assessment of your municipality’s chances in the FY2011 waiver pool.
Please note: to be eligible to apply for a waiver of the FY2011 MAR, your library must be meeting the hours open and materials expenditures standards.
The key to the process for the MAR waivers is the review of the library’s appropriated budget and its reductions when compared to the overall municipal budget.
The largest cut for which the Board has granted a waiver has been 29%, in FY2009. See the blog post, “Largest Library Budget Reduction to Receive a Waiver of the MAR.”
Time Table for the FY2011 MAR Waiver Process
State Aid to Public Libraries Program Basics
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners administers the State Aid to Public Libraries program.
State aid has been going to public libraries since 1890 when The Acts of 1890, chapter 347, ‘An Act to Promote the Establishment and Efficiency of Free Public Libraries’, established the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts.
- The program is voluntary.
- Public libraries apply annually.
- The program is a municipally focused program. The requirements are based on library services provided to local residents and local municipal funding of the library.
- If upon annual application a public library meets the statutory (MGL, c.78, ss.19A & 19B) and regulatory (605 CMR 4.00) requirements, the Board of Library Commissioners certifies that the municipality and its library are meeting the requirements and State Aid to Public Libraries is awarded.
Three Key Requirements for FY2011
- The library’s weekly hours of service–based on the population of the municipality (605 CMR 4.00). The actual library performance during the FY2010 period of Labor Day 2009 to Memorial Day 2010 is the basis for compliance in the FY2011 program.
- The library’s expenditures for library materials–based on the population of the municipality (605 CMR 4.00). The actual library performance during the FY2010 (July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010) is the basis for compliance in the FY2011 program.
- The town’s appropriation to the library–individually calculated for each municipality, based on funding history [the average of the prior three year's municipal appropriations plus 2 1/2%]. (MGL c.78, s.19A). The calculation for FY2011 is: [ (FY2008 + FY2009 + FY2010)/ 3] x 1.025.
Waivers, Accommodations and Flexibilities
- Waivers of the Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR). Statute allows the Board of Library Commissioners to grant up to ten waivers. Annual budget language reiterates or amends the number. For FY2010, the Board of Library Commissioners were enabled through budget language to grant as many waivers as needed to eligible communities and their libraries. Waivers must be applied for at the time of annual state aid application. All required forms are included in the annual state aid application packet.
- Materials Expenditure and Hours Open Accommodation. This accommodation allows libraries to meet either one or both of the minimum standards at a reduced 90% or 80% level and still be certified in the state aid program. As a result of this accommodation, the state aid award is reduced. Accommodation is automatically activated when annual state aid applications are submitted.
- Flexibility of Materials Expenditure Standard. Regulation allows a library that exceeds the minimum hours open requirement and is meeting the hours requirement of the next population group, to expend the lesser amount for materials. The library director and trustee chair must request flexibility when submitting the annual state aid application.
Administrative Policies
Just as regulations define statute, administrative policies , reviewed and approved annually by the Board of Library Commissioners, further define regulation.
State Aid Awards
There are three components to the State Aid award that libraries receive when certified as meeting the minimum requirements. Each has a different formula. The appropriation for State Aid to Public Libraries for FY2010 was $6,823,657. The FY2011 appropriation will not be set until the Governor signs the budget.
- Library Incentive Grant (LIG)–a straight per capita grant based on the population of the municipality.
- Municipal Equalization Grant (MEG–see fact sheet)–based on the lottery formula, municipalities with less revenue raising capability receive more of this pot.
- Nonresident Circulation Offset (NRC)–based on the number of direct, over the counter, nonresident transactions reported by libraries on their statistics (ARIS) survey. The FY2010 per transaction amount was $0.1236.
Annual Calendar
- June Workshops are held to help librarians complete the statistics survey
- July On-line statistics survey (ARIS) is open for all public libraries
- August Statistics surveys must be completed; State Aid applications are sent to all public libraries
- September Workshops are held to help librarians complete the state aid forms
- October State Aid Applications and MAR waiver forms are due
- November Board of Library Commissioners (BLC) meets and certifies the first group of municipalities meeting all state aid requirements
- December BLC meets and certifies the second group of municipalities meeting all requirements
- January BLC meets and reviews petitions and hears presentations of applicants for a waiver of the MAR
- February Board meets and acts on applications for a waiver of the MAR
- March Board meets and hears any appeals of denial of an MAR waiver
- April Board meets and acts on any appeals of denial of an MAR waiver; the State Aid to Public Libraries program concludes as of the April Board of Library Commissioners meeting.
FY2010 State Aid to Public Libraries
- Of the 351 municipalities in Massachusetts, 349 have public libraries or public library services.
- Of the 349 municipalities, 339 applied for FY2010 State Aid to Public Libraries.
- 242 met the FY2010 State Aid to Public Libraries requirements.
- 97 met the minimum standards and applied for waivers of the FY2010 MAR.
- to date (2/16/2010), 96 have been granted waivers of the FY2010 MAR.
Local Library Funding
- 87% of library funding comes from local sources.
- Each municipality decides the local funding level of their public library.
- 1.24% of total municipal operating expenditures goes to public libraries in Massachusetts, based on the most recent Department of Revenue figures.
- 3% of library funding comes from State Aid to Public Libraries.
Do you have a visual version of the State Aid program that I can show my selectmen?
Good question. I actually did something for the review of the state aid program a few years ago.
Follow the link below to see a visual representation of the State Aid to Public Libraries program.
current-state-aid-flow-chart1
Question
Here’s the situation: Our library received a grant to digitize our town’s newspaper; the digitization is from 1935 to 1990. The digitized newspaper is now a database. The grant paid for the digitization and the installation as a database accessible from our website. The grant does not cover the ongoing cost of hosting the database.
Therefore, here’s the question: Could the ongoing annual cost of hosting the database be considered part of the cost of materials for the purpose of meeting the materials requirement in our budget?
Answer
There two parts to this question. The cost of digitizing and the ongoing access (hosting) cost.
As far as the materials expenditure requirement of the State Aid to Public Libraries program is concerned, all expenditures for materials, both physical and e-content, count towards meeting the requirement. Expenditures for access to materials do not count towards the expenditure requirement.
Please remember that expenditures for materials from all sources of income (municipal and other income) to the library can be used to meet this requirement.
Posted under expenditures, Materials Expenditure Requirement, State Aid to Public Libraries
For those of you applying for a waiver of the FY2012 MAR:
- The Petition for a Waiver of the MAR is due with a postmark of October 14, 2011.
- The absolute postmark deadline is November 12, 2011 for the remaining four items of your MAR waiver application.
- Disproportionate Cut Worksheet–to be completed by the town accountant or treasurer.
- Supporting municipal budget document(s), listing the FY2011 and FY2012 total operating and departmental budgets for the municipality. This can be a top level summary spreadsheet—it does not have to be the entire budget. This documentation provides back-up for the numbers reported on the Disproportionate cut Worksheet.
- Letter from the library describing the budget process. The letter can be from the library director or trustee chair, or both.
- Letter from the municipality describing the budget process. The letter can be from any municipal official–finance committee member, select person, etc.
Here are a few key points to remember as you prepare your letters and your in-person presentations for a Waiver of the FY2012 Municipal Appropriation Requirement to the Board of Library Commissioners. Prior to the Board meeting in January, the Commissioners will receive a packet containing materials that you submitted with your petition.
Your letters/presentations should address the following key questions:
- How close are you to meeting the FY2012 MAR?
- What efforts were made to meet this requirement?
- Are there any extenuating circumstances about which the Commissioners should be aware?
- Why should your municipality be granted a waiver of the FY2012 MAR?
- How have library services been affected by reductions in the library’s budget? In particular, hours of service and expenditures for materials.
Regardless of how close you come to meeting the FY2012 MAR, if you are not meeting the FY2012 MAR, by statute you must apply for a waiver of the FY2012 MAR.
Even if the library has not been disproportionately cut, you must still submit a complete MAR waiver application.
Only those waiver applicants where the library’s budget was cut 10 percentage points or more beyond any change in the town’s budget need appear before the Board at its January 5, 2012 meeting. If the gap is between 5% and 9.99%, the town and the library are not required to appear before the Board of Library Commissioners at its January 2012 meeting.
All waiver applicants will be informed about their status with regards to the 10% threshold when initial review of the applications is complete.
Here is a calendar of events for the FY2012 State Aid to Public Libraries program:
- October 14, 2011 Financial Form pdf, State Aid Application and MAR waiver petitions are due.
- November 3, 2011 First group of municipalities meeting requirements will be presented to the Board and state aid awards will be made.
- November 12, 2011 All submissions to complete FY2012 MAR waiver applications are due.
- December 1, 2011 Second group of municipalities meeting requirements will be presented to the Board and state aid awards will be made.
- January 3, 2012 A list of communities not certified for State Aid is available and updated at the end of the grant round.
- January 5, 2012 All FY2012 MAR waiver applicants will be reviewed by the Board. In-person presentations (above the 10 % threshold) will be made made.
- February 2, 2012 The Board will act on FY2012 MAR waiver petitions.
- March 1, 2012 The Board hears any appeals of denial of the FY2012 MAR waiver.
- April 5, 2012 The Board acts on any appeals of denial of the FY2012 MAR waiver.
- FY2012 State Aid to Public Libraries program is completed.
Please feel free to contact me or Ned Richards (ned.richards@state.ma.us) if you have any questions. Also, visit our website http://mblc.state.ma.us/grants/state_aid/index.php
Posted under MAR Waivers, Municipal Appropriation Requirement, State Aid to Public Libraries
This post was written by dcarty on October 5, 2011
The FY2012 State Aid to Public Library payments will this year again be disbursed in two half payments. The municipality and its library will receive half of the award after the Board of Library Commissions certifies the municipality and its library. The second half will be disbursed in the Spring when the Board of Library Commissioners receives the final allotment of the State Aid appropriation.
State Aid applications and print copies of the Financial Report are due with a postmark of October 14th.
The first group of completed applications (libraries meeting all requirements) to be received and vetted at the agency will be presented to the Board of Library Commissioners for approval at their November 3, 2011 meeting.
If all applications (libraries meeting all requirements) are complete and vetted by staff in time for presentation, the second and final group will go before the Board at their December 1, 2011 meeting.
All applicants for a waiver of the FY2012 MAR will be presented to the Board at their January 5, 2012 meeting and the Board will act on all applications at their February 2, 2012 meeting. The earliest certification date for any library and its municipality requesting a waiver of the FY2012 MAR is February 2, 2012.
Posted under MAR Waivers, State Aid to Public Libraries
Some of the confusion you are experiencing is because the method of deriving your requirement changed a few years back. After a regulatory hearing with the library community, the regulation changed.
Method to calculate the number of dollars that your library needs to expend on library materials for your patrons to use:
At the beginning of the fiscal year take the total appropriation to your library from your town and multiply it by the percentage that your library (based on the municipality’s population) must expend by June 30.
total municipal appropriation to library x percent requirement = dollars to spend on library materials
$ x % = $
The dollars are expended from the library’s total operating budget. This means any source of income to the library’s operating budget.
Any questions should be directed to Dianne Carty (dianne.carty@state.ma.us) or Ned Richards (ned.richards@state.ma.us) at the Board of Library Commissioners. 617-725-1860 or in-state 1-800-952-7403.
Posted under Materials Expenditure Requirement, State Aid to Public Libraries
