Mission Statement
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Central Kansas Library System Proposed System Plan 2017 Presented May 11, 2016 System Plan for 2017 in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 75-2552 and Regulations promulgated thereunder. Submitted by Central Kansas Library System (Name of System) On May 11, 2017 (Date) By (Signature of System Administrator) Harry Willems, System Administrator (printed name and title) (Signature of an Officer of the CKLS Board) (printed name and title) (To be completed by the State Library Advisory Board) Date on which plan or amendment is effective: By Chairman, State Library Advisory Board By State Librarian of Kansas Approved: (Date) 2 System Plan Central Kansas Library System Proposed for 2017 Introduction History of Regional Systems of Cooperating Libraries in Kansas The State Library of Kansas created traveling libraries, providing minimal service to all Kansas. Traveling library service brought boxes of books to rural areas. They established an environment for the creation of many small libraries. Traveling libraries were abolished in 1963, making way for the development of the Regional Systems of Cooperating Libraries, which carried on the tradition with their rotating books services. Most of the state is made up of small towns and prairies. More than 80 percent of the public libraries in Kansas serve towns with fewer than 5,000 citizens—making Kansas ideal for the development of library systems. Library cooperation through systems offers relief from potential isolation without sacrificing local independence. However, it did not take long for the leaders in these small libraries to realize that they could not survive without outside help. With the encouragement of funding from LSCA (Library Services and Construction Act) in 1965, the Kansas legislature established the seven Regional Systems of Cooperating Libraries. The Systems were eligible for planning grants under Title I of the Library Services and Construction Act. The law permitted the Systems to levy a tax on property within the boundaries of the system that is not taxed for the support of a public library. Originally, systems served only public libraries, but in 1968 the law was amended to allow school and academic libraries to participate in Regional Systems of Cooperating Libraries. No additional funding was allocated or authorized to pay for services to school and academic libraries. Because the needs of the libraries in each system are different, librarians and trustees in each region met to determine programs and budgets. Since then systems have broadened services for their member libraries. In 1970 and 1971 some systems began providing books to rural and homebound customers. Others began book processing for libraries, and rotating collections. In the 1990s all systems added technology consulting to their services. For the past 36 years the boards and administration of each system have added new services, cancelled others, and changed the delivery modes to meet the changes in technology and user needs. The challenge for all systems is to keep services relevant to the customers, secure adequate funding, and foster creativity among staff members. Structure, Funding, and Governance The Central Kansas Library System, along with the six other Regional Systems of Cooperating Libraries, is specifically named in Kansas Statutes. The counties within each system are also named in statute. The following counties are part of CKLS: Barton, 3 Cloud, Ellis, Ellsworth, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Republic, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, and Smith. Each System is a municipality that is larger than a county, but smaller than the state. As such they have the authority to levy property taxes for the support of the system. The system tax is levied on property that is not otherwise taxed for the support of a local public library. The board of the Central Kansas Library System consists of 54 members appointed by the boards of local public libraries and 16 members appointed by the governor from the rural areas of the counties that levy the system tax. This board meets twice a year to conduct the business of the System, to approve the budget, any resolutions, the system plan, and elect members to the Executive Committee. The Executive committee meets monthly to conduct the general business of the System. The Executive Committee hires the System Administrator, who in turn carries out the day-to-day operation of the System. The Mission of the Central Kansas Library System Leadership, Information, Vision The first letters, LIV, are the Roman numeral for 54 – the number of public libraries in CKLS. The Vision CKLS provides leadership, information and vision for our library communities to keep pace in an ever-changing world. L-Leadership I-Information V-Vision Goals of the Central Kansas Library System for 2013-2017 Goal 1 Provide digital content with training and marketing for librarians and library patrons Goal 2 Help member libraries improve the physical space of the library Goal 3 Encourage and support effective programming for each library community Goal 4 Improve CKLS service Program of Services of the Central Kansas Library System The services of the Central Kansas Library System fall into two groups—direct services to rural residents and disabled persons, and services to local public libraries and librarians. DIRECT SERVICES 4 Talking Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. CKLS provides significant funding for a Talking Books Outreach Service Center. The Outreach Service Center operates under the Kansas Regional Talking Book Library located in Emporia which is a division of the State Library of Kansas. The CKLS Talking Books Outreach Consultant promotes Talking Books to those with a visual impairment or those who cannot handle printed materials because of a physical disability. The Outreach Service Center loans large print books to visually impaired individuals and to system libraries. The Center also loans activity resources to organizations for programming. The low vision center lends adaptive equipment to individuals with visual impairments to try out before purchasing. Books-by-Mail. Anyone who lives in the rural area of a taxing county may borrow books through Books-by-Mail. CKLS pays the postage both ways. CKLS publishes a catalog once a year to make it easier for patrons to order materials. Community Book Deposits. CKLS calls these book deposits Outlets. Rotating Books are placed in communities that are too small to support a legally established library. Outlets bring library services closer to rural residents and provide a service point for other CKLS services. Phone-from-Home Service. Rural residents, or those living in towns without a library, call CKLS and request any book or other media they can identify. CKLS mails requested materials directly to the patron, and pays the postage both ways. SERVICES TO LIBRARIES General Consulting. Consultants travel to member libraries regularly to visit with the librarians and/or trustees to answer questions and help with local planning, weeding, library evaluations, and other help as requested. Automation Consulting. When librarians need help with their computer they may call CKLS’s Automation Specialist. We answer the problem over the telephone and schedule to repair, update and maintain computers, computer networks, and computer software. Pathfinder Interlibrary Loan (PILL) Through the consortia online catalog system Pathfinder Central, member libraries easily share their materials among 51 CKLS libraries, with over 675,000 items. For items not available on PILL, items can be requested through statewide Interlibrary Loan. Courier The system will pay for all but $150 of the courier fee (3 day per week), $300 (for 5 day libraries) for system libraries who consistently lend and borrow materials on PILL or state wide interlibrary loan (KICnet). Youth Services. CKLS maintains an extensive collection of programming materials to lend to system libraries. Children’s librarians rely on CKLS Services for Children and Youth for the resources they need for Summer Library Programs and Story Time programs. CKLS also maintains a collection of preview books librarians can review before purchasing books for their collections. 5 Continuing Education. Member and associate member librarians and trustees receive training and instruction from CKLS consultants during the year. Each year CKLS conducts training needs assessment to determine the topics for continuing education workshops. The Central Kansas Library System gives each library $700 each year to purchase training for librarians, library staff and trustees. This money can be used for attending workshops presented by CKLS or library-related workshops, classes, online training presented by others. This money can also be used to pay staff to attend training when the library is closed or pay someone to run the library if the library is open and no one else is available to run the library. A more detailed description is given below in the incentive grant portion of this document. CKLS also provides ongoing continuing education grants. More information is at http://www.ckls.org/about/grants Public Information. CKLS uses its newsletter, The POST, to inform librarians and trustees of current library issues. The newsletter is in electronic format only. CKLS does printing jobs, binding, and laminating for member libraries. Interlibrary Loan. System interlibrary loan services facilitate the borrowing and lending of library materials from one Kansas library to another