South Dakota Public Library Standards is a self-evaluation tool. The purpose of the voluntary certification and accreditation program for public libraries and librarians in South Dakota is to encourage the ongoing development of quality library service in the state. In particular, these standards are intended to:

Provide a tool to assess the quality of library service
Identify areas needing improvement
Aid libraries in gaining maximum community support

South Dakota Public Library Standards
The purpose of the voluntary certification and accreditation program for public libraries and librarians in South Dakota is to encourage the ongoing development of quality library service in the state.

The manual is divided into three sections by level of accreditation. Each section is then divided into the following categories:

Governance
Administration
Access
Collections and Resources
Funding
Staffing
Technology
Public Relations

Each standard is presented as a statement, allowing the library to easily determine whether it meets or does not meet the criteria. There are three levels of accreditation:

ESSENTIAL — the minimum which should be available to all
ENHANCED — an expansion of services beyond the basic
EXEMPLARY — the highest level of service

For a listing of the 2010 accredited South Dakota Public Libraries, please review the September 2010 press release.

Certification

South Dakota Public Librarian Certification Program
The South Dakota State Library oversees a voluntary certification program for South Dakota public library directors and library staff. The goals of this program are to help library directors and staff acquire, maintain, and develop skills through continuing education in order to provide better library service to their communities. Through this program, the State Library recognizes public library directors and staff who update their knowledge and skills on a continuing basis.

An individual's certification is valid for three (3) years. To renew at the same level will require 30 contact hours of continuing education during that 3-year period.

For a listing of the South Dakota librarians who have received certification, please review the September 2010 press release.