This document discusses public library policies in the United States. It notes that policies vary greatly between states and even within states. Some key points are that libraries receive funding from various sources like local taxes or library districts, and governance also differs such as being part of local government or having an independent board. The document also briefly outlines the history of library policies in other countries and how they were often used to promote certain ideologies or social goals. International organizations recommend libraries be established through legislation and receive balanced funding from government.

1. PUBLIC LIBRARIES
AND THEIR NATIONAL
POLICIES
American Resource Center 31.1.2012

2. Public Libraries in the United
States
 Very different organization and funding
structures from state to state
 Even within a single state, there are often
multiple types of libraries, and sometimes
overlapping library districts
 There is no law requiring library service to be
provided, so there are no public libraries if a
locality is unable or simply unwilling to provide
one

3. Public Libraries in the United
States
 How do public libraries differ from one another in the
United States?
 Funding
 City
 County
 State
 Independent library districts (self-funding)
 Non-profits
 Misc. (hybrids, tribal libraries, etc.)
 Governance
 Part of local government
 Library Board
 Elected or appointed
 Autonomous or advisory

4. For example: Indiana
 For 2010, in Indiana:
 $388,760,477 (95%) from local sources
 $19,273,111 (~5%) from state sources
 $1,064,604 (.003%) from federal sources

5. For example: Indiana

6. For example: Indiana

7. For example: Indiana
A B C D E F G H I J
Library County
2000
Popula-
tion
Property Tax
or CEDIT
Operating
Fund Income
CAGIT
Property Tax
Replacement
Credit
Operating
Fund Income
CAGIT
Certified
Shares
Operating
Fund Income
CAGIT
Special
Fund
Operating
Fund
Income
County Option
Income Tax
(COIT)
Operating
Fund Income
Contractual
Revenue
Received for
Service
Operating
Fund Income
Local
Option
Income Tax
(LOIT)
Operating
Fund
Income
Total Local
Operating
Income
(includes A-G)
Financial
Institutions
Tax (FIT)
License
Excise
(LVET) and
Commercial
Vehicle
Excise Tax
(CVET)
Operating
Fund Income
INDIANAPOLIS-MARION CO PL Marion 832,693 $41,090,399 $3,765,434 $44,855,833 $276,235 $2,512,204
ALLEN CO PL Allen 331,849 $16,916,627 $3,576,421 $20,493,048 $57,631 $1,456,979
LAKE CO PL Lake 217,349 $7,437,200 $21,213 $7,458,413 $43,655 $630,009
ST JOSEPH CO PL St Joseph 172,627 $8,758,699 $1,303,481 $10,062,180 $782,380
EVANSVILLE-VANDERBURGH PL Vanderburgh 171,922 $7,169,592 $2,907,615 $10,077,207 $25,257 $696,040
PORTER CO PL SYSTEM Porter 128,665 $3,397,883 $3,397,883 $2,595 $374,100
WILLARD LIBRARY OF EVANSVILLE Vanderburgh 121,582 $747,384 $747,384 $2,633 $66,750
MONROE CO PL Monroe 120,563 $4,785,035 $2,217,128 $7,002,163 $9,829 $372,135
TIPPECANOE CO PL Tippecanoe 119,821 $3,219,794 $882,848 $4,102,642 $22,577 $295,566
VIGO CO PL Vigo 105,848 $4,443,658 $215,332 $597,819 $5,256,809 $49,510 $426,521
GARY PL Lake 96,222 $4,160,150 $4,160,150 $2,733 $191,647
ELKHART PL Elkhart 90,792 $3,799,803 $173,441 $920,087 $4,893,331 $17,664 $290,951
MISHAWAKA-PENN-HARRIS PL St Joseph 84,195 $3,247,520 $566,851 $3,814,371 $2,045 $259,925
JOHNSON CO PL Johnson 84,174 $2,510,841 $279,127 $1,773,905 $4,563,873 $3,042 $254,975
HAMMOND PL Lake 83,048 $2,716,202 $2,716,202 $7,742 $163,130
HAMILTON EAST PL Hamilton 82,296 $2,925,395 $3,216,968 $6,142,363 $11,186 $268,994
KOKOMO-HOWARD CO PL Howard 78,245 $2,199,323 $711,137 $2,595 $2,913,055 $11,710 $338,472
ANDERSON PL Madison 74,719 $3,888,978 $990,971 $4,879,949 $22,350 $382,261
MUNCIE-CENTER TWP PL Delaware 71,396 $3,855,609 $485,780 $4,341,389 $34,105 $303,751
BARTHOLOMEW CO PL Bartholomew 71,143 $1,849,015 $119,258 $542,056 $2,510,329 $2,530 $146,998
NEW ALBANY-FLOYD CO PL Floyd 70,823 $1,835,581 $120,959 $473,443 $2,429,983 $6,640 $187,849
LA PORTE CO PL La Porte 65,836 $2,077,090 $344,590 $2,421,680 $345,509
CARMEL CLAY PL Hamilton 64,709 $2,396,996 $2,785,946 $5,182,942 $1,360 $237,759
JEFFERSONVILLE TWP PL Clark 56,695 $1,023,495 $110,193 $524,744 $1,658,432 $1,645 $82,463
MORRISSON REEVES LIBRARY Wayne 54,134 $1,319,211 $53,683 $239,423 $132,724 $1,745,041 $18,375 $78,961
MORGAN CO PL Morgan 53,198 $908,302 $108,899 $533,472 $107,944 $1,658,617 $1,869 $129,451
HANCOCK CO PL Hancock 48,497 $1,947,985 $1,182,656 $3,130,641 $3,933 $188,285
SHELBYVILLE-SHELBY CO PL Shelby 43,445 $740,157 $32,870 $189,754 $962,781 $6,626 $89,895
CHARLESTOWN CLARK CO PL Clark 39,777 $995,800 $350,564 $38,556 $1,384,920 $5,897 $107,435
NEW CASTLE-HENRY CO PL Henry 39,349 $935,772 $716,615 $1,652,387 $827 $147,225
MICHIGAN CITY PL La Porte 37,528 $2,435,166 $247,627 $2,682,793 $0 $122,288
LOGANSPORT-CASS CO PL Cass 36,821 $859,672 $42,588 $215,991 $1,118,251 $8,381 $79,669
LA GRANGE CO PL La Grange 34,909 $1,280,925 $27,079 $177,185 $9,691 $1,494,880 $1,224 $44,215
GOSHEN PL Elkhart 34,669 $1,149,170 $66,932 $364,973 $1,581,075 $3,160 $84,492
JACKSON CO PL Jackson 34,423 $1,758,162 $87,339 $424,379 $2,269,880 $3,926 $157,985
HARRISON CO PL Harrison 34,325 $1,554,777 $101,744 $470,910 $74,188 $2,201,619 $1,526 $205,618
PUTNAM CO PL Putnam 34,311 $312,003 $42,908 $317,116 $29,854 $701,881 $921 $33,511
BEDFORD PL Lawrence 33,979 $987,836 $54,516 $275,860 $1,318,212 $5,384 $109,904
KNOX CO PL Knox 33,978 $984,260 $188,235 $1,172,495 $5,028 $88,382
CROWN POINT COMMUNITY PL Lake 33,069 $859,790 $859,790 $3,675 $85,428
EAST CHICAGO PL Lake 32,414 $2,890,333 $12,595 $2,902,928 $4,849 $81,225
JEFFERSON CO PL Jefferson 31,705 $987,674 $987,674 $4,161 $80,642
MARION PL Grant 31,273 $1,177,774 $467,117 $1,644,891 $4,149 $39,893
FRANKFORT COMMUNITY PL - CLINTON CO CONTRACTUAL PLClinton 31,030 $2,168,984 $68,904 $362,844 $2,600,732 $3,307 $110,152
OHIO TWP PL SYSTEM Warrick 31,002 $1,303,863 $1,303,863 $1,275 $193,280
JASPER-DUBOIS CO CONTRACTUAL PL Dubois 30,311 $1,006,160 $332,478 $1,338,638 $3,289 $87,323
LAWRENCEBURG PL Dearborn 28,976 $685,895 $350,736 $1,036,631 $1,195 $55,729
WEST LAFAYETTE PL Tippecanoe 28,778 $599,678 $385,715 $985,393 $2,426 $25,123
JASPER CO PL Jasper 27,947 $835,615 $110,518 $582,631 $137,444 $1,666,208 $1,635 $151,213
JENNINGS CO PL Jennings 27,554 $391,683 $22,858 $134,644 $1,054 $550,239 $1,745 $45,030
WELLS CO PL Wells 27,176 $918,851 $105,625 $551,745 $120,252 $1,696,473 $3,397 $97,740
BROWNSBURG PL Hendricks 27,109 $605,661 $63,870 $433,329 $1,102,860 $939 $58,892
GREENWOOD PL Johnson 26,849 $665,322 $86,390 $581,773 $1,333,485 $1,079 $65,564
AVON-WASHINGTON TWP PL Hendricks 26,319 $599,317 $70,442 $506,742 $66,754 $1,243,255 $85 $53,821
FAYETTE CO PL Fayette 25,588 $599,703 $138,933 $738,636 $3,324 $46,586
WARSAW COMMUNITY PL Kosciusko 25,276 $1,276,058 $688,693 $1,964,751 $2,782 $92,139
GREENSBURG-DECATUR CO CONTRACTUAL PL Decatur 24,555 $492,938 $44,481 $149,775 $687,194 $80 $41,690
CRAWFORDSVILLE DISTRICT PL Montgomery 23,837 $818,786 $535,102 $1,353,888 $3,364 $43,778
SCOTT CO PL Scott 22,960 $600,232 $172,722 $772,954 $2,514 $58,244
PLAINFIELD-GUILFORD TWP PL Hendricks 22,895 $1,031,981 $103,749 $680,682 $1,816,412 $4,935 $83,889
NOBLE CO PL Noble 22,892 $492,915 $43,248 $236,488 $772,651 $743 $49,804
HUNTINGTON CITY-TWP PL Huntington 22,364 $1,293,427 $81,427 $395,554 $3,076 $1,773,484 $127,171
OWEN CO PL Owen 21,786 $415,782 $42,743 $289,329 $747,854 $46,094
SULLIVAN CO PL Sullivan 21,751 $967,181 $967,181 $805 $82,264
BOONVILLE-WARRICK CO PL Warrick 21,381 $746,722 $746,722 $1,820 $29,329

8. Public Libraries in the United
States

9. Public Libraries in the United
States
 Even neighboring states can have wildly
different ways of providing library service.
 Indiana
 100% library districts
 Illinois
 50% city government, 50% library districts
 Ohio
 Funded almost entirely by state

10. Research Questions
 Is this how public library policy has always
been in the United States?
 How does the United States’ system compare
to those of other countries?
 Is there anything approaching an ideal library
policy that can be adapted and implemented
either on a national or state level in the United
States?

11. Historical Examples of Library
Policy
 United States
 Public libraries were often used to prepare areas
for statehood
 Early public libraries in Hawaii were seen as
alternatives to the prevailing drinking culture; the
library was first known as the “Temperance
Reading Room”
 Britain
 One of the first attempts to legislate public
libraries in Britain was brought about, tellingly, by
the “Select Committee on Inquiry into
Drunkenness” in 1834.

12. Historical Examples of Library
Policy
 Russia
 Early Russian public libraries were first thought of
as ways to transmit the values of the upper class
to the workers, essentially teaching them the
benefits of the Tsarist feudal system
 When the Soviets came to power, libraries held
essentially the same position in society, but with
the goal of advancing socialism. Lenin was
acutely aware of the potential of public libraries;
his wife was a librarian by training.

13. Historical Examples of Library
Policy
Nadezhda Krupskaya
 Directed a census of
Russian libraries
 Encouraged librarians to
address patrons in common
speech
 Advocated for the creation
of better library training
 All of this had the goal, of
course, of advancing
Marxism

14. Historical Examples of Library
Policy
 Sweden
 Parish libraries began appearing in the mid-1800s
and were mainly designed to give people the
necessary literacy skills to study the Bible, but
also contained useful household instructions
 These were largely replaced by the end of the
century with “study circle” libraries, which were
established by social groups to further specific
causes, like temperance

15. Historical Examples of Library
Policy
 What do these policies have in common?
 Governments have long realized the potential for
libraries to influence and educate their patrons
 Attention from government can be enormously
helpful in starting, maintaining, and improving a
library system
 When governments misuse library policy the
effect on libraries can be dramatic

16. IFLA and UNESCO
Recommendations
 The International Federation of Library
Association and the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization recommend that:
 Libraries should be “based on legislation”
 Administered and funded by the appropriate level
of government
 Governed by a body of local community
members, which should be open and transparent
 A library to serve every 3,000 people and within a
mile of the people that it serves

17. Modern Public Library Policy
 A variety of policy models are being used
 Governance
 National – Local
 Prescriptiveness
 Specific – Loose
 Funding
 Balanced – Imbalanced

18. Modern Public Library Policy:
Governance
 Finland
 United Kingdom
 Authoritarian
Countries
 Turkmenistan
 North Korea
 United States
 India
 China
National Local

19. Local Library Governance
 India
 If IFLA standards were adopted, India would need
343,000 public library outlets (it currently has
60,000) to serve all 560,000 villages.
 India has largely left the growth of libraries up to
the provinces.

20. Local Library Governance
 Rural provinces are put at an extreme
disadvantage.
 There are 28 states and 6 union territories in
India; 11 have passed public library legislation
and 4 allow for the collection of taxes to support
libraries.
 Public libraries are technically addressed by the
national “Five Year Plan,” but the sum total of this
attention is a few sentences in a 1,000 page
document
 Libraries in India received 7.1% less funding than
was called for in the previous Five Year Plan

21. Local Library Governance
 China
 Libraries in China were once guided by a strong
national policy, but are now basically governing
themselves
 Many libraries in China do not receive enough
funding to operate from the government and must
supplement their budgets themselves
 User fees are commonplace
 Library quality varies widely across China

22. National Library Governance
 Finland
 Library Act of 1961 heavily subsidized the
construction of rural public libraries
 Library Act updated in 1998 to specify that
municipalities are responsible for carrying out the
library and information services that it described
 Regular national plans and goals are issued,
which local libraries are then responsible for
working toward

23. National Library Governance
 Turkmenistan and North Korea
 Dictate exactly which books are and are not
permitted in public libraries
 Strictly control library funding
 In effect, public libraries become storerooms of
books that no one wants to read

24. Modern Public Library Policy:
Prescriptiveness
 United Kingdom
 United States
(certain states)
 Finland
Specific Loose

25. Specific Library Standards
 United Kingdom
 First standards were adopted in 2001
 Highly specific, quantitative measures called Best
Value Performance Indicators
 Circulation, attendance, Internet use, etc.
 Standards were updated and replaced several
times over the next decade before being
abandoned completely in 2011

26. Specific Library Standards
 Since 2001, libraries in the United Kingdom
have been asked to adhere to:
 Public Library Service Standards
 Best Value Performance Indicators
 Public Library Impact Measures
 Public Library Position Statements
 Annual Library Plans
 Comprehensive Area Assessments
 Public libraries in the UK face widespread closure,
privatization, and consolidation

27. Non-specific Library Standards
 Finland
 Library policies define broad goals (improving
access, upgrading technology infrastructure, etc.)
 Not very many specific numbers are mentioned in
the library policies (one exception is the number
of experienced staff a library must have per 1,000
residents)
 Adherence to library guidelines is voluntary, but
library administrators can use them as supporting
documents when making the case for funding to
local administrators

28. Modern Public Library Policy:
Funding
 Finland
 Sweden
 United States
 Australia
Balanced Imbalanced

29. Balanced Library Funding
 Finland
 Construction projects and other major works are
funded (at least partially) by the national
government
 Daily operations are funded by the local districts
that are served by public libraries
 This allows libraries to devote all of their
resources to doing what they do best, which is
providing library service

30. Local Library Funding
 United States
 Libraries in the United States are funded almost
entirely with local funds
 Rich areas have rich libraries
 Some areas have no library service at all
 Australia
 Libraries in Australia are ostensibly funded by
both the state and local governments, but in
practice states provide a miniscule amount of
funding
 Libraries in Australia are desperately underfunded

31. Local Library Funding
 An example from Indiana
 When the Bloomfield-Eastern Greene Public Library
wanted to build a much-needed addition to its original,
1911 Carnegie building it was forced to:
 Form a shell corporation, since libraries are forbidden from
assuming certain amounts of debt
 Issue bonds through the shell corporation, which financed
the construction of the addition
 “Lease” the new building from the corporation
 Levy a new tax to pay for the debt, alongside the regular
tax to pay for daily operations
 When the debt is paid off, the library will no longer qualify
for the “optional” income tax it is able to levy (In other
words, having debt puts the library in a better financial
position!)

32. Benefits of national library
policies
 Even growth of libraries nationally, not just in lucky
areas
 Mandating library service while leaving specifics up to
locals ensures that everyone has at least baseline
service
 Spreading out the funding obligations enable libraries
to provide superior service
 Libraries are supported in their efforts to expand
and add new services
 Even if there is no national funding, a national policy
allows librarians to make their case to local decision-
makers

33. Drawbacks of national library
policies
 Government is not always a good friend to
libraries
 Turkmenistan shuttered every single public library in
the country for five years
 South Africa’s public library legislation is so unclear
that different branches of government cannot agree
on who is responsible for funding libraries
 Even well-meaning governments can wind up
creating laws or standards that hinder more than
they help
 By tying funding to statistical measures, struggling
libraries are often unable to right themselves
 Creating too many statistical benchmarks sometimes
gives the illusion that libraries are struggling, when in
fact they are providing quality service to the patrons
they have

34. What does the ideal policy look
like?
 In the presenter’s (humble) opinion, the ideal
national public library policy should:
 Clearly define the parties responsible for
providing library service and the sources of
funding
 Supplement local funding with state/national
funding for large projects or experiments
 Provide goals for growth without demanding strict
adherence to certain metrics
 Be a collaborative effort of librarians and
government

35. National Public Library Policies
Questions or comments?
John Helling
Associate Director for System-wide Services
Johnson County (Kansas) Public Library
johnhelling@gmail.com