Total Points: 0

PREVIEW

Application For Public Library Accreditation
by the Nebraska Library Commission

Instructions

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Check items as appropriate for your library, and supply related information in the provided blanks.
In order to streamline the process, data you submitted via the annual Public Libraries Survey and Supplemental Survey have been used to pre-fill answers wherever possible. These pre-filled answers, which are reflected in the point total, are marked by the following:
Green Checkmark Indicates that the library meets this guideline, based on Public Libraries Survey data
Red X Indicates that the library does not meet this guideline, based on Public Libraries Survey data
Accreditation Peers
If you have questions about pre-filled answers, please contact Christa Porter.
If you have questions about peer-library data, please contact Sam Shaw.
If you have questions about computer-security items, please contact Andrew 'Sherm' Sherman.
A running total of your accumulated points will appear in the Total Points box at the upper right. The points required for each level of accreditation are:
  • 250 Gold Level
  • 200 Silver Level
  • 175 Bronze Level
Click on Question Mark to the right of questions for additional information.
If you wish to save a partially-completed form, click the Save and Resume Later button at the bottom of the form. If you leave the form without saving it, the information you have entered will be lost.
Part 1. GOVERNANCE/PLANNING
Green Checkmark 1.00.Meets the 12 minimum qualifications to be designated a Public Library in Nebraska
1.01.Has an up-to-date, written Community Needs Response Plan (previously called the Strategic Plan) submitted to the Library Commission[10 points]
[ Plan must have been written or revised within the past five years.
If not already approved by the Library Commission, please send via email to:  christa.porter@nebraska.gov ]
1.02.Has reviewed the Community Needs Response Plan annually, record the most recent review date below[5 points]?
Most recent date reviewed / revised:( mm / yy )
 1.03.Has library board policies that address topics necessary for the successful functioning of the library
[ 1 point for each policy that has been written, revised or reviewed by the library board within the last 3 years]
Check each of the following topics that are included in your library's policies?
1.03.01Advocacy
1.03.02Book challenges/reconsiderations
1.03.03Collection development (including challenges and labeling)
1.03.04Confidentiality of patron records
1.03.05Customer complaints/feedback
1.03.06Emergency, safety, and disaster planning
1.03.07Exhibits, displays, bulletin boards
1.03.08Facilities, including meeting room (if appropriate)
1.03.09Gifts, memorials, donations
1.03.10Intellectual Freedom
1.03.11Internet use
1.03.12Marketing
1.03.13Non-discrimination
1.03.14Patron behavior
1.03.15Personnel
1.03.16Public services (including circulation of library materials)
1.03.17Staff professional development
1.03.18Weeding
1.03.19Other (please list)
1.03.20Other (please list)
1.03.21Other (please list)
1.03.22Other (please list)
1.04.Has a Technology Plan and has reviewed the plan annually[6 points]?
Most recent date reviewed / revised:( mm / yy )
Green Checkmark1.05.Has an active library Friends group [4 points]
Based on the information you supplied on the most recent Supplemental Survey
Green Checkmark1.06Has a library Foundation [4 points]
Based on the information you supplied on the most recent Supplemental Survey
Part 2. RESOURCES
The library possesses adequate resources to provide the library services needed in the community
as reflected in these guidelines.
  • Check the box in the left column for each guideline met by your library (if it is not already pre-filled).
2.01. Local Income:
Green Checkmark2.01Local income equal to, or greater than, the average or median figure for your peer group[10 points]
Your Local Income: $0Peer Average: $0Peer Median: $0
2.02. Facilities:
Green Checkmark2.02.01Open hours equal to, or greater than, the average or median figure for your peer group[3 points]
Your Local Hours: 0Peer Average: 0Peer Median: 0
2.02.02The schedule of open hours reflects an attempt to meet the needs of the community[5 points]
Record the date here on which you last asked the community its preferred open hours (optional): ( mm / yy )
2.02.03The library building meets all federal, state and local codes for safety and access?[3 points]
2.03. Staff:
Green Checkmark2.03.01Expenditures on staff equal to, or greater than, the average or median for your peer group[3 points]
Your Local Expenditures: $0Peer Average: $0Peer Median: $0
Help
Green Checkmark2.03.02Certification level of library director must be at least at the level indicated below, based on the library's LSA population[3 points]
Director's Certification Level: Level Required for LSA Population:
LSA Population Minimum Certification Level of Director
<500 to 2,499I - High School graduate or equivalent
2,500 to 4,999II - 2 Years or more of college
5,000 to 9,999III - College graduate (B.A./B.S.)
10,000+V - MLS
Help
Green Checkmark2.03.03Number of additional library staff that must be certified, based on the library's LSA population[3 points]
Certified Staff Count: 0Level Required for LSA Population: 0
LSA Population Minimum Number of Library Staff Members Certified
<500 to 2,499Director plus 1 additional staff
2,500 to 4,999Director plus 2 additional staff
5,000 to 9,999Director plus 3 additional staff
10,000+Director plus 4 additional staff
Green Checkmark2.03.04Number of library personnel FTE equal to, or greater than, the average or median for your peer group[5 points]
Your FTE: Peer Average: 0.00Peer Median: 0.00
[3 points]
Green Checkmark2.03.05Financial resources are committed and expended by the library (including budget for costs related to education and training, and policy related to paid time and travel for such activities on the part of staff) to provide opportunities for library staff to participate in education and training to ensure that staff meets Librarian Certification requirements. If the library did not report any expenditure for staff training and education on its Public Libraries Survey to the Commission, this guideline cannot be met and a red X will appear by the guideline.
Based on data from the Public Libraries Survey your library expends $1 in support of staff continuing education
2.04. Technology
The library has:
Green Checkmark2.04.01An Integrated Library System (ILS)[5 points]
Based on the most recent Public Libraries Survey, your library meets this guideline
Green Checkmark2.04.02Its ILS is available online[7 points]
Based on the most recent Public Libraries Survey, your library meets this guideline
2.04.03Broadband Internet access at speeds adequate to meet user needs in the library[5 points]
Green Checkmark2.04.04Wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi) in the library[5 points]
Based on the most recent Public Libraries Survey, your library provides Wi-Fi access
2.04.05Telephone service with voice-mail or answering machine[3 points]
2.04.06Technology accommodations for persons with disabilities[3 points]
2.04.07An adequate number of computers as determined by your library Community Needs Response Plan and/or Technology Plan[5 points]

Are the library's computers secure? (5 points possible, each condition met is worth 1 point)

2.04.08No Computers are running an End-Of-Life Operating System, like Windows 7/8 (Windows 10 after Oct 2025)[1 point]?
2.04.09The Operating System and software on all Computers are updated at least monthly[1 point]
2.04.10Separate Windows logins for staff (administrator) and Customer/Patron (standard user) to prevent non-Staff modifications to public computers[1 point]
Green Checkmark2.04.11Reboot/restore software installed and active on all Public computers[1 point]
Based on the most recent Public Libraries Survey, your library meets this guideline
2.04.12Password-secured access to public computer's BIOS to prevent access to BIOS settings and the Boot Menu[1 point]?
2.04.13The library utilizes DNS Filtering for protected web browsing[2 points]?
2.04.14The library utilizes a Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) to secure their Internet connection[3 points]?
2.05. Collection:
2.05.01The library's collection reflects the mission and goals of the library as laid out in its Community Needs Response Plan[10 points]
Green Checkmark2.05.02Weeding the physical collection at least an average of 3% per year over a three-year period except for special collections identified in the library's collection management policy and which are not affected by the library's regular weeding policy[5 points]?
Based on the most recent Public Libraries Survey, your library's weeding rate is: %
2.05.03Library staff use online websites to provide information to library users[6 points]
Green Checkmark2.05.04Annual expenditure on materials as a percentage of operating expenditures equal to or greater than the average or median figure for your peer group[7 points]
Your Local Expenditures: 0%Peer Average: 0%Peer Median: 0%
Green Checkmark2.05.05Annual circulation of items per capita equal to or greater than the average or median for your peer group[5 points]
Your Annual Circulation Per Capita: Peer Average: Peer Median:
Green Checkmark2.05.06Turnover rate in the regular, circulating library collection equal to or greater than the average or median figure for other libraries within your peer group[5 points]?
Your Turnover Rate: Peer Average: Peer Median:
Green Checkmark2.05.07Collection size (items per capita) equal to or greater than the average or median for your peer group[5 points]
Your Collection Per Capita: Peer Average: Peer Median:
Part 3. SERVICES
The library offers a variety of services to its community, driven by accurate and ongoing assessments of community needs. The library is able to demonstrate that it fulfills its mission and meets its goals as defined in the library's Community Needs Response Plan.
  • Check the box in the left column for each guideline met by your library (if it is not already pre-filled).
The library has or offers:
3.01.Outreach programs and services in the community appropriate to the library's mission and goals. Outreach includes programs and services offered by a library to or for those people who cannot or do not get to the library, thereby extending library services beyond current users.[6 points]
3.02.An extension of its collection through interlibrary loan borrowing to serve its customers[5 points]
Green Checkmark3.03.Attendance per capita for programs equal to or greater than the average or median for your peer group[5 points]
Your Attendance Per Capita: Peer Average: Peer Median:
3.04.Library programs or targeted services as specified in your Community Needs Response Plan[10 points]
Here list target audience(s) identified in your Community Needs Response Plan:
Green Checkmark3.05.Access to the licensed databases made available through the Nebraska Library Commission[5 points]?
Based on the most recent Public Libraries Survey, NLC-provided databases are accessible through your library
Green Checkmark3.05.01Access to databases licensed by your library in addition to those provided by the Commission [4 points]?
Based on the most recent Public Libraries Survey, your library subscribes to the following databases:
      
Part 4. COOPERATION/COLLABORATION
Cooperation and collaboration are essential for a library to be able to meet the needs of its community because they allow the library to offer more than it can, acting on its own with only its resources. Such activities may differ somewhat from community to community, but the library must be engaged with other entities – on the local, state and national levels – in order to provide the best possible library service to its community.
  • Check the box in the left column for each guideline met by your library.
4.01.The library director or a member of the library board attends at least two village board, city council, county commission, or township board meetings per year. If fewer than two meetings were attended, no points are given.[7 points]
4.02.Staff participates in community organizations and groups in order to keep the library and its services engaged and visible in the community[4 points]?
4.03.The library has a teen board to advise on services and to engage youth of the community[5 points]
4.04.The library cooperates with other local entities for shared services[10 points]?
Here list cooperating entities:
[Note: Read the Help Page information before responding to this Guideline.]?
4.05.Library board members and library staff participate in regional, statewide or national advocacy efforts such as the Nebraska Library Association's annual advocacy day[1 point for each person actively participating, up to five different names]?
Here list names of participants:
4.06.The library engages with regional and/or statewide resource sharing consortia such as OverDrive, NebrasKard, or the Pioneer Consortium for activities and services[5 points]?
Part 5. COMMUNICATIONS
A public library serves its community best by providing materials, programs and services that community needs and wants. Therefore, the library must maintain active communication with the people in the community.
  • Check the box in the left column for each guideline met by your library.
The library:
5.01.Posts its mission statement and its policies on the library website[4 points]
5.02.Provides for public interactions on its website, blog, Facebook, X/Twitter, or through a similar online presence and updates them at least monthly, using them to publicize events, services, books, etc.[10 points]
Here list each:
5.03.Uses non-Internet public relations and marketing tools (in addition to those listed in 5.02 above) including newspapers, newsletters, radio, posters, mailings, announcements at community events, etc. to reach all members of the community[4 points]
5.04.Offers regularly updated exhibits and displays[3 points]
5.05.Offers a bulletin board for public use[3 points]
5.06.Reports regularly (usually monthly) on the library to the village board, city council, county commission, or township board[5 points]
5.06.01Posts these reports on its website[3 points]
5.07.Communicates regularly (usually monthly) with business leaders, and civic organizations[5 points]

Please Review and Correct Your Contact Information Below as Needed

Library Name:

Director's Name:

Director's Email:

Point Total: