South Dakota State Library: Building towards 2002

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SOUTH DAKOTA'S LIBRARIES--
BUILDING TOWARD 2002

A Statewide Plan for the Development of Library and Information Services
1998-2002

THE ROLE OF FEDERAL SUPPORT
During the five-year period October 1, 1997- September 30, 2002, the South Dakota State Library will focus on three key objectives taken from the Library Services and Technology Act and the related priority areas identified by the statewide focus forums:

GOAL 1. to enhance the delivery of information to South Dakota's citizens through a combination of improved technology and continuing education that will enable South Dakota's librarians and staff to provide the highest possible level of service to their patrons;
GOAL 2. to emphasize special library services which contribute to improved access to information and library services for all people of the state delivering the information in the appropriate format, at the appropriate location, and within the time frame required by the patron; and
GOAL 3. to provide equal access to information for South Dakota's citizens no matter what their age, economic status, or place of residence.

Goal 2 -- Emphasize Services Which Contribute to Improved Access to Information and Library Services
LSTA legislative language states that services should be provided to "persons having difficulty using a library and to underserved urban and rural communities, including children ... from families with incomes below the poverty line." With South Dakota's wide open spaces and sparse population, the majority of the state's landmass falls within the definition of rural disadvantaged. Some areas are also challenged by infrequent mail delivery, unreliable phone service or phone service from an out-of-state phone company, inadequate or non-existing public transportation systems, and extreme poverty.

The focus group discussions identified several services that were provided under LSCA that must be continued in order to provide equal access for all citizens. The State Library services that fall within these priority areas include: reference and interlibrary loan provided directly to any citizen who lives in a community that does not have a public library or in a community that has a public library that is infrequently open; remote access to the collections and services of the State Library through technology (fax, toll-free WATs, Internet access, and dial access to SDLN); coordination of the statewide interlibrary loan network; continuing education for librarians, school administrators, and public library trustees; contracting for statewide access to databases; provision of specialized services for the portion of the population that cannot use traditional printed materials; and collaboration of services targeted toward children.

Based on the results of the focus group discussions, South Dakota will work toward the following goals:

A. The State Library will continue to deliver collections of large print books to public libraries, nursing homes and senior citizens retirement centers on request (two month loan period). In addition, other avenues of providing service to those who require this special format (and the elderly in particular) will be explored and implemented.

OBJECTIVES
1. Promote the use of special format books by public libraries, nursing homes, and senior citizen facilities.
2. Coordinate with other state agencies that work with the aged and continuously encourage them to include libraries as part of their information delivery system.

B. The State Library will continue to promote family literacy and a love of reading through a packet switching program operating in Head Start Centers statewide and through statewide programs to encourage reading.

OBJECTIVES
1. By 2002 all Head Start centers statewide will have been offered an opportunity to participate and to receive training on the importance of family literacy and guidance in developing local level programs to encourage it.
2. Develop and promote programs that encourage reading for all ages.

C. The State Library will support literacy training.

OBJECTIVES
1. The State Library will remain a partner of the South Dakota Literacy Council and will continue to promote this program statewide.
2. The State Library will continue to make its toll-free WATs line available as the Literacy Hot Line statewide and to coordinate the referral of potential students and volunteer tutors.

D. The State Library will continue to promote year round reading though staff participation on the planning committees for the summer reading program, the Prairie Pasque Reading Award program, and the Young Adult Reading Program (YARP). Staff will also coordinate with the South Dakota RSVP, the South Dakota Assn. for Lifelong Learning, South Dakota Assn. for the Education of Young Children, South Dakota Humanities Council and any other agency interested in promoting reading.

OBJECTIVES
1. State Library staff will participate on the planning committees for the summer reading program, the Prairie Pasque Reading Award program, and the Young Adult Reading Program (YARP).
2. Staff will also coordinate with the South Dakota RSVP, the South Dakota Assn. for Lifelong Learning, South Dakota Assn. for the Education of Young Children, South Dakota Humanities Council and any other agency interested in promoting reading.

E. The Braille and Talking Book division of the State Library will continue to provide library services to patrons who need alternative formats.

OBJECTIVES
1. They will serve patrons of all ages including school age children. These children will be encouraged to continue reading during the summer through participation in a summer reading program designed especially for them.
2. The staff of this program will coordinate with all advocacy groups for the visually impaired, the South Dakota Classroom Braillists, and the Telephone Pioneers.
3. All materials from this program are included in the statewide automated database.
4. Provide continuing education related to the ADA and its impact on the delivery of library services, special needs of the visually impaired library patron, and other related service issues.
5. Provide technical expertise on specialized equipment needed for provision of library services for the visually impaired on request.

F. Improve the quality of library services delivered to children at the state and local level.

OBJECTIVES
1. The State Library staff will develop and present a series of statewide workshops targeted toward the improvement of children's services provided at the local level. Some areas to be included are: services to homebound, services to home school families, reading program development, collection development, Internet for children, programming for the pre-literate, homework centers, etc.
2. The State Library will continue to cooperate with other agencies and associations that offer reading incentive programs and will actively promote these programs.

G. The State Library staff will provide leadership and guidance for the planning and development of library services on the local level.

OBJECTIVES
1. They will provide assistance to local libraries in governance, collection development, personnel issues, automation, children's services, etc. as requested.
2. By 2002 the TRUSTEE MANUAL will be updated and distributed to every public library trustee.
3. Staff will provide assistance to school library personnel on request in areas of basic library skills, automation, SDLN connectivity, etc.

EVALUATION:
All of the above will be evaluated through use of data gathered in annual statistical reports, user surveys measuring customer satisfaction, and informal feedback from library patrons.

Building Towards 2002 -- Attachment A -- Goal 1 -- Goal 2 -- Goal 3