Category: Events – Deadlines    

These deadlines are of the utmost importance because Commonwealth Libraries must report all data to the federal government by the first week in June. Because of these deadlines some libraries will not be able to refer to their audits when completing the annual report.  In such cases the end-of-the-year treasurer’s report/financial statement should be used.

Here are some useful documents for completing the Annual Report:

• Additions and Changes to 2011
• Documentation Checklist for libraries
• Consultant Review Guidelines (these are the things that will get double-checked on your reports!)
• Tips and Hints for Completing the PA Public Library Survey (this is an excellent document with detailed information for many of the questions)

The Annual Report Signature Sheet Application for State Aid Signature Page, and the Certification of Estimated Costs (Green Sheet) are all available as links within the online survey or available for download here:

• 2011AnnualReportSignaturePage
• 2012.13ApplicationforStateAidSignaturePage
• Annual Report Shared Costs Greensheet Form    

These pages are to be printed, completed and submitted with original signatures.  (Note: Not all libraries will have a Green Sheet.)

Audits: Please submit audit or financial review by October 1, 2012.  Failure to comply will result in either a delayed payment or loss of State Aid.

If you have questions about filling out the annual report online, please contact your district library consultant. 

In a separate email, your district consultant will send a note to signatories and those who are responsible for submitting the online report and collecting documentation with more local detail, including how to count statistics for ebooks and other electronic resources.

This post is a reminder that libraries in our district should have a completed annual report submitted to the consultant’s office on or before April 4, 2010.

As always, let me know if you would like a one-to-one consult on your annual report (which can reduce error checking times) or if for some reason you will not be able to meet that deadline date.

For many libraries, having the board review and sign the annual report at the March meeting is advisable. It’s good to get the final information from 2010 wrapped up so you can proceed with all of your success for 2011.

The Pennsylvania 2009 (2008-2009) Public Library Online Survey is now available for libraries to complete their annual reports.

Please note libraries will be using a new version of Bibliostat Collect that can be found at http://collect.btol.com

Reports are due to your district consultant on or before April 5, 2010 so that they can be reviewed and submitted to Office of Commonwealth Libraries before the drop dead deadline of May 3, 2010.
All supporting documentation for the annual report is due to the Office of Commonwealth Libraries by June 1, 2010.

These deadlines are of the utmost importance because Commonwealth Libraries must report all data to the federal government by the first week in June 2010. Because of these deadlines some libraries will not be able to refer to their audits when completing the annual report. In such cases the end-of-the-year treasurer’s report/financial statement should be used.

Useful documents for annual report submissions:
Some of the links aren’t working properly, try NCLD’s site: Annual Reports on North Central Library District’s page

 Cover Sheet for Supporting Documentation
Documentation Checklist for libraries 2010

 Annual Report Signature Page
Signature Page for 2009 Annual Report

 List of Additions and Changes to the Annual Report
Additions and Changes to Annual Report 2009

 Certification of Estimated Cost Forms (aka the green sheet). Greensheet Note: If the green sheet is used, it is not necessary to fill in the online Certification form, as long as the total library share is entered on line 224.

Application for State Aid: The independent local library or library system headquarters must fill in the Application for State Aid online. After it is filled out, it can then be printed for signatures, and the entire form or just the application signature page may be sent to Commonwealth Libraries.

POWER Library databases on line 260b: each state-aided library should enter 41.

Audits: Please submit audit or financial review by October 1, 2010. Failure to comply will result in either a delayed payment or loss of State Aid.

If you have questions about filling out the annual report, please contact your system administrator or district library consultant. For technical problems, Bibliostat Collect product support is available toll free at 1-866-785-9935.

Thank you for all your efforts to accurately report your library’s activities.

Pennsylvania Library Association
Application for PaLA’s Sponsorship
2008 ALA’s Emerging Leaders Program

The Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) is pleased to participate in ALA’s Emerging Leaders Program, which enables 120 new librarians to get on the fast track to leadership within ALA and the library field. This program consists of two workshop days with Maureen Sullivan and Connie Paul, participating in projects, networking with 119 of your peers, an inside look into ALA structure, and an opportunity to serve your profession. PaLA will select one member to represent Pennsylvania’s libraries.

As attendance at the mid-winter and annual ALA conferences is required, and regular conference fees apply, PaLA has committed to providing $1,000 to help defray the costs of conference fees and travel.

Applicants must be members of PaLA to qualify.

Please view the following site for additonal information and application form: Emerging Leader

Completed applications need to be emailed to Alice Lubrecht and Olga Conneen by July 3, 2008. The applications will be reviewed and the selected candidate notified by July 25, so that the application to ALA can be submitted by the July 31 deadline.

This year’s chairman of the PaLA Scholarship Committee would like to remind everyone in PA who is in an MLS or undergrad certification program (or knows someone who is) that there is scholarship and continuing education funding available.

Visit www.palibraries.org for information on this and other opportunities.

The deadline for MLS and undergraduate certification scholarships is Thursday, May 15th.

Please note, May 15 is the deadline ONLY for MLS and Brodart Undergraduate scholarships.
The deadline for conference scholarships is August 29, so there’s lots of time still to think about those. And the scholarships for continuing education support have no deadline, you can submit at any time.

For more information on eligibility, please contact Ellen Wharton at the PaLA office at 717-766-7663 or by e-mail ellen@palibraries.org.

It is time to submit nominations for the 2008 Awards to be presented at the Annual Awards Luncheon on Sunday, November 9, 2008 during the Pennsylvania Library Association Conference at the Valley Forge Scanticon.

Nominations will be accepted for the following awards:

• Citizen of the Year: a Citizen who has contributed the most to the improvement of Pennsylvania libraries.
• Corporate Citizen of the Year: a business or company that has been supportive of a local library as well as the entire Pennsylvania Library Community.
• Friends Group of the Year: a Friends group that has provided the greatest assistance to its library. Friends Group must be a member of PCBL.
• Friends Newsletter of the Year: the best Friends group newsletter. Friends Group must be a member of PCBL.
• Elected State Official of the Year: an official who has been a leader in promoting and supporting Pennsylvania’s libraries.
• Library Public Relations Award: a library that has conducted an effective public relations campaign for a specific program or event that has resulted in significant community support.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: a citizen or group who has shown exceptional meritorious service to libraries.
• Local Public Official Award: a local public official who has been supportive of his/her local library.
• Media Award: the best newspaper, radio or TV editorial, article or video in support of libraries.

Please submit a letter of recommendation along with supportive documentation as soon as possible but no later than September 1, 2008 to:

Lois K. Albrecht
PCBL Awards Chair
4953 Cline Hollow Road, Apartment #147
Murrysville, PA 15668
724-327-9410
foresit502@aol.com

Would you like to be recognized for the wonderful work you are doing to promote your library as the place for lifelong learning? If so, please fill out the following application.

In addition to the application, three documents with futher information have been provided.

State Awards for Library Marketing Handout
Criteria for Selecting Winners
Authorization for Request
Library Marketing Award Application

If you would like more information, contact your District Consultant, who will be involved in the award presentation.

The Pennsylvania Humanities Council invites all public libraries to apply for Read About It!, a free book discussion series featuring five programs that appeal to popular interests in literature

Participating libraries will receive free copies of the books and films featured.

Libraries can choose from five programs. APennsylvania Writers@ examines local authors and local issues. ADetecting Women@ considers gender roles in the detective genre. ABooks on Screen@ studies film adaptations of popular literature. AFacts in Fiction: The Civil War Era@ and AAmerican Life Stories@ cater to widespread interest in historical fiction and memoir, respectively.

Through four informal sessions with an expert discussion leader, Read About It! exposes readers across Pennsylvania to the reading and discussion of literature. The programs are open to all who love to read; no prerequisites or special knowledge is ever required to join a Read About It! group.

To apply, simply fill out an application and forward it to the PHC.

Application materials and additional information can be accessed online at: pahumanities.org.

Applications must be received by May 15, 2008 for fall 2008 and spring 2009.

Please contact Jennifer Miller, the new Read About It! Coordinator, with any questions or to receive a hard copy of the application. She can be reached at 800-462-0442 or 215-925-1005 extension 110.

The ALA Public Programs Office, in collaboration with the Fetzer Institute’s Campaign for Love & Forgiveness, is now accepting applications for “Let’s Talk About It: Love & Forgiveness,” a theme-based reading and discussion program.

“Let’s Talk About It: Love and Forgiveness” will follow the well-established ALA reading and discussion series format “Let’s Talk About It,” using classic and contemporary literature to explore stimulating and relevant themes. Project themes and books were chosen by national project scholar Betty Sue Flowers, Ph.D., director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum and former Kelleher professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin.

Following a competitive application process, 30 public libraries will be selected to receive:

• A grant of $2,500, to be used to support program costs and scholar honoraria.
• Program materials, which include introductory literature and essays on each of the themes, selections for additional reading and template promotional materials.
• Training for the library project director at a national workshop, where they will hear from the project scholar, expert librarians and organizers and receive a program planning guide, materials and ideas.

Complete application information, including program guidelines and reading lists, can be found at www.ala.org. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2008.

Successful applicants will be notified of their status by the end of August.

The Pennsylvania Humanities Council invites public libraries to apply for a special series of humanities presentations. Libraries selected for the series will sponsor three programs from PHC’s bureau of Commonwealth Speakers during spring and summer 2008.

The series is timed around the launch of the 2008-2009 Commonwealth Speakers program. The new line-up offers over 135 presentations on the arts, history and heritage, literature, and current affairs led by a variety of spokespeople for the humanities. It includes hands-on presentations, performances combined with discussion, and family programs, along with more traditional lecture-type presentations.

By allowing selected libraries to run three programs, PHC aims to help libraries gain experience and skills in conducting adult programs and in marketing themselves as community centers of lifelong learning.

The postmark deadline is February 28, 2008.  The application materials and Commonwealth Speakers catalog can be accessed online at www.pahumanities.org.

Or contact Georgia Guthrie, PHC’s new Commonwealth Speakers program coordinator, at commonwealthspeakers@pahumanities.org, 800-462-0442 or 215-925-1005 to obtain hard copies.

PHC will respond to all applicants by the end of March.
Programs to take place from May 1 to August 29, 2008.

The ALA Public Programs Office is pleased to partner with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for the fifth We the People Bookshelf project. This year’s theme is Created Equal.

Public and school (K-12) libraries are invited to apply online through January 25, 2008 at www.ala.org. A single application may be submitted on behalf of multiple libraries within a library system, school district or community. Individual branch and school libraries are also encouraged to apply.

In spring 2008, 3,000 successful applicants will receive the We the People Bookshelf, a collection of 17 classic hardcover books for young readers on the Created Equal theme. Several titles focus on the life and writings of Abraham Lincoln, whose 200th birthday will be celebrated during the 2008 – 2009 programming period. In addition, winning libraries will receive four titles in Spanish translation, a History in a Box resource kit on Lincoln, and accompanying materials for programming including bookplates, bookmarks and posters.

For book titles, programming ideas and tips, access to the guidelines and application, and further details, visit www.ala.org.

Any questions, contact publicprograms@ala.org.

Sincerely,
American Library Association
Public Programs Office
50 E. Huron – Chicago, IL 60611
www.ala.org

P.S. – Please share this information with other libraries in your area! Multiple libraries within a system/district may apply for and receive Bookshelves.

A cover letter, signature pages, and instructions for completing the 2007-2008 Plans for the Use of State Aid and Standards Achievement online forms have been mailed to independent public libraries and library system headquarters.

The online forms are accessible at the Bibliostat Collect Website. The plans and achievement forms, which are required in order for a library/system to receive state aid, provide invaluable information for making the case for future support for libraries.

The Due Date to the District Library Consultant is November 19, 2007, and the deadline to Commonwealth Libraries is December 3, 2007. They must receive the signature pages and any other enclosures by that date in order to insure timely payment of state aid.

A printout with final local financial effort figures and the amount of the January state aid payment will be mailed to each state-aided local library and system headquarters in December. In the meantime, the projected state aid amount for each independent local library and each library system can be found at the Office of Commonwealth Libraries’ website.

Local libraries that are members of a library system should wait for instructions from their system headquarters before filling out the forms online. District Library Centers should not include their district aid in the plan. The total state aid payment projection is based on the 2007-2008 state aid to public libraries subsidy of $75,750,000.

A copy of the system member signature page can be found below. It is to be printed on white paper. Directions for completing the forms are also available.

System Member Signature Page
Instructions for 2007-08 Plans

A cover letter, signature pages, and instructions for completing the 2007-2008 Plans for the Use of State Aid and Standards Achievement online forms have been mailed to independent public libraries and library system headquarters.

The online forms are accessible at the Bibliostat Collect Website. The plans and achievement forms, which are required in order for a library/system to receive state aid, provide invaluable information for making the case for future support for libraries.

The Due Date to the District Library Consultant is November 19, 2007, and the deadline to Commonwealth Libraries is December 3, 2007.  They must receive the signature pages and any other enclosures by that date in order to insure timely payment of state aid.

A printout with final local financial effort figures and the amount of the January state aid payment will be mailed to each state-aided local library and system headquarters in December. In the meantime, the projected state aid amount for each independent local library and each library system can be found at the Office of Commonwealth Libraries’ website.

Local libraries that are members of a library system should wait for instructions from their system headquarters before filling out the forms online. District Library Centers should not include their district aid in the plan. The total state aid payment projection is based on the 2007-2008 state aid to public libraries subsidy of $75,750,000.

A copy of the system member signature page can be found below. It is to be printed on white paper. Directions for completing the forms are also available.

System Member Signature Page
Instructions for 2007-08 Plans

Time to File Your Form 470 FY 2008!
~ 471 Window Dates Have Not Been Set ~

Although it’s hard to believe, it’s time to begin posting your Form 470′s for Funding Year 2008! You are encouraged to file your 470′s before Thanksgiving recess which will give you all of January to evaluate your bids, sign your contracts and file your 471.

In December a list of districts that haven’t yet posted their 470′s will be sent out. If you don’t want to be on the list make sure you file soon!

To file visit: Apply for Form 470 and click on ‘Create Form 470.’

The SLD’s 470 guidance can be found at: Form 470 Guidance.

Visit the following link for additional information: Form 470 Helpful Tips

NOTE: The SLD has not yet set the FY 2008 Form 471 Filing Window Dates, but we expect the window to open in mid-November and close either the last week in January or the first week in February.

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Tritt Schell: jtschell@comcast.net

If you are applying for an LSTA grant for 2008, please be sure your application is submitted in the online system at http://eGrants.ed.state.pa.us on or before September 7, 2007.