The Office of Commonwealth Libraries divides the state of Pennsylvania into 29 different geographic regions called districts. At the head of each district, one library or library system serves as the District Center. For the Capital Area Library District, that role is filled by the Dauphin County Library System (DCLS).

Discover more about the role District Library Centers play in the PA Code:

PA Code

Guidelines for Negotiating Agreements for District Library Center Services

Each year library directors from around the Capital Area Library District discuss how to best collaborate. These discussions result in a “District Negotiated Agreement” complete with a budget for how DCLS will be the fiscal agent in expenditure of the state funding they receive to serve the role of District Library Center.

Currently, in the Capital Area Library District, we do not use a formal District Advisory Council with trustees. In our district, instead, by mutual agreement, we use a core negotiation team of staff members who work with the district consultant to present the agreement to the signatories, and refer to ourselves as a District Executive Committee.

District Agreement 2023 - 2024

District Budget 2023-2024

5 Year Plan for District Services

Links to State Resources

State Aid to Public Libraries

Counting Opinions

Library Laws & Regulations

The Compendium