It is time to “spring” into action on your public library’s 2020 Annual Report! Although the hard-and-fast due date is Friday, April 30, 2021, we encourage librarians to submit their report by Wednesday, March 31, to allow agency accreditation staff enough time to process the more than 500 reports expected.

Some popular questions – with answers – are below!  Follow the Tip Sheet links, available on the Annual Report web page, for more details.

• Reporting Service Hours Tip Sheet: 
  • Report ACTUAL time the library building was fully accessible to the public in questions 11.1 (annual hours) and 11.2 (annual weeks) for reporting year 2021.
  •  Report anticipated hours once pandemic restrictions are lifted in questions 11.3-11.5.
  • Curbside or drive-through services, if the building is locked, do not count for “open.”
• Reporting Programs Tip Sheet:
  •  In Section 7, report in person programs and LIVE virtual programs. The program definitions have not changed from previous years, just the way that participants show up. A livestream is one in which library staff interacts with the participants during the session. Count participants as one device equals one person.
  • In the Special Section, report virtual and recorded programs. These should be marked as views for at least one-minute, and for a period of the first seven days after launch on the social media platform.
• Local Financial Effort – Section 4:
  • Question 4.2 includes ALL operating expenditures funded locally. This includes any local financial donations, as well as local government funding. This is a calculated field in the online form that removes any non-local grant funds.
  • Question 4.1 is the local funds that were used for collection materials purchases. This includes any local financial donations, as well as local government funding. Again, this is a calculated field online.
  • Question 4.3 is only the local government funds that were used for operating expenditures. For some libraries, this is all that is used; for others, this is only a portion of local funding. Every library is different!
• Maintenance of Effort (MOE):
  • Library expenditures must meet or exceed MOE to maintain accreditation.
  • MOE is the average of the last three years’ local operating expenditures as reported in question 4.2 (see above). Find the pre-calculated amounts for every library in the 2020 Population & MOE Planning Tool.
  • Libraries with reduced expenditures due to the economic impact of the pandemic may be eligible to request a waiver of this criterion, using the new Emergency Rule. Contact library accreditation staff at accreditation@tsl.texas.gov if this is the case for your library.

We are here to help! Contact Library Data Coordinator Valicia Greenwood at vgreenwood@tsl.texas.gov or accreditation@tsl.texas.gov if you have any questions or concerns. Agency staff continues to telecommute from home. However, Zoom calls, meetings or conferences can be set up upon request.

The next open Office Hours will be held on Thursday, March 25, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., CT. Stop by and get an answer to any Annual Report issues!  There is nothing prepared, nor do we record the session. Anyone interested in these topics is welcome to join. Get the link on request through accreditation@tsl.texas.gov.