NLLS Policies

STATEMENT OF POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Section: Finance | Chapter: General | Page(s): 3

Subject: BOOK ALLOTMENT | Sec 3, 1P

Reviewed: NEW | Revised: NEW | Effective: 2022/03/04

Northern Lights Library System (NLLS) understands that libraries, at their core, are dependent upon relevant, robust, and community centered collections. One of the primary roles of a library system is to ensure that libraries maintain their collections through regular acquisitions. To this end, the Book Allotment is comprised of a portion of the combined board and municipal system levy and set aside for collection development at member libraries.

1.      The amount of the system levy set aside for Book Allotment purchases, as required by the membership agreement (schedule C, 1.2), is set by Board policy.

2.      The Book Allotment will be $2.15/capita of the membership levy.

3.      All funds should be expended each fiscal year; however, libraries may rollover unexpended funds.

1. Beginning 2023 rollover funds not spent within the first quarter of the year will revert to the system’s collection budget.

4.      No purchases against Book Allotment funds will be permitted in the month of December, to accommodate fiscal close.

5.      Purchases may be made through NLLS’s acquisitions specialist or directly by the library.

1. Purchases made directly by the library are known as outside purchases.
2. Outside purchases will be reimbursed to the library or a designated employee through Electronic Funds Transfer only and with proper submission of an outside purchase form with receipts.

6.      Items eligible for Book Allotment purchase include:

1. Print materials of various formats
2. Audiobooks in various formats
3. Digital media in physical and electronic formats
4. Electronic books and audiobooks (i.e. Overdrive, etc.)

7.      Materials purchased with book allotment funds must be shared with system members.

8.      Libraries are strongly encouraged to expend Book Allotment funds on print materials and to allocate other funding for electronic resources or ebooks when possible.

9.      System members with more than 1 library (generally counties) may direct book allotment funds between their libraries at their discretion.

1. Funding ratios must be provided to NLLS administration prior to March 30th of each calendar year.
2. Where members do not specify funding ratios the funds will be divided equally between eligible libraries.