State Aid to Public Libraries
The Nebraska Library Commission
annually provides direct state aid payments to eligible public libraries.
State aid payments are not intended to replace
local funds for the library, but are granted to provide for enhanced services
over and above those provided through local funding. Continued local support
is an essential component of state aid eligibility.
Eligibility requirements:
- The Library must be accredited;
- The library must complete a Public Library Survey online using Bibliostat™ Collect;
Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Requirement:
Additionally, the library library's local income must meet the maintenance of effort requirement.
The maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirement states that the local income support for the library is at least equal to the lowest annual local income from the three previous years. Local income includes tax-generated funds from local funding sources. If funds received by library foundations and Friends of the Library groups are deposited in the library funds and disbursed by the treasurer of the municipality or county (see Nebraska Statutes 51-209), those funds may be included in the library's local income.
Libraries that do not meet this requirement will have their aid reduced at a rate proportionate to the decrease in local funding.
A Waiver allows local government officials to certify that the library budget
sustained no greater reduction than the overall budget of the local government
unit.
State Aid Payments
Please note: The allocation amounts for state aid to public libraries are subject to change, and
are dependent upon state budget appropriations. Libraries may request
that the state aid payments be made to the library friends group or the
library foundation.
In January 2007, the Library Commissioners approved an incentive payment to acknowledge the achievement of enhanced/Silver and excellent/Gold accreditation status. Each level has increased expectations of local libraries in terms of funding, hours open, and programs and services offered. The incentive State Aid payments for
Gold and Silver accredited libraries
are as follows:
- Gold Accreditation -- Incentive state aid payment of $400.
- Silver Accreditation -- Incentive state aid payment of $200.
For additional information, contact
Sam Shaw, Planning and Data
Services Coordinator at 402-471-3216 or 800-307-2665.
State Aid Award letters are mailed to eligible libraries each spring,
indicating the amount of the state aid for that fiscal year. Use this News Release template to announce your state aid award to your community.
The following formula is used for state aid distribution in 2024:
| --------Service Population*-------- |
--------Amount-------- |
| 0-7,999 |
$565 + $0.15 per capita |
| 8,000 and Above |
$0.133 per capita |
| Incentive aid for libraries that receive additional tax-based funding from a public entity
|
1% of the amount of additional funding |
*For purposes of state aid payments, service population is that of the main funding sources
and is based on
the official U.S. Census .
2024 State Aid to Public Libraries
in Nebraska
State Aid from Previous years: