Please read FULLY, complete the survey and hit SUBMIT to ensure your response is recorded.

Members and stakeholders asked Indiana Library Federation (ILF) to be proactive in advocacy. We were successful with unanimous votes at every step on SEA410 in the 2020 session. Then COVID-19 shifted our attention.  

In prior years, we surveyed the Indiana library community about how our current policy priorities should be continued or updated. COVID changes everything. While much remains uncertain, we KNOW that libraries, services, and budgets will not "go back to normal." Unemployment is at its worst since 1982. Tax revenues are down. State agencies are asked to cut 15%. And schools and colleges are bracing for reduced student headcount and/or 5% - 20% cuts. Public libraries are bracing for increased competition for limited local resources. 

Repeating a prior survey does not make sense. The ILF Advocacy Committee wants your input on prioritizing certain issues--knowing what we know. 

Some questions are based on the long-term legislative priorities established over the last three years. Some relate to very specific policies. Where you do not have adequate information or if it does not apply to your work, simply mark not applicable.  Go to end and hit submit to make sure your response is recorded.

Note the survey may not include certain policies we already support or policies we would fight against (i.e. intellectual freedom challenges, property/local income tax changes that hurt libraries). It also does not include non-governmental partners, external relations or federal advocacy. 

We need to hear from you NOW about priorities so that ILF can work on strategy at the Legislative Fall Forum to be effective in the next legislative session. We are planning regional fall forums on Oct. 6--to focus on advocacy skills and collaborative strategy. Please help by answering the survey below. 
Your input is critical to our collective success.

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* 1. Contact Information - While you may remain anonymous, we appreciate your contact information, as it allows us to confirm that our input is statewide and allows us to follow up re: specific policy recommendations/ideas.

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* 2. What best describes your primary affiliation with Indiana Library Federation?

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* 3. What best describes your primary role with a library?

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* 4. What best describes your membership status with Indiana Library Federation?

Given the pandemic and economic conditions, the ILF Advocacy Committee has already identified that two primary areas of focus for 2021 should be:
1) internet connectivity for schools and libraries and expanded broadband for residents, and
2) securing stable funding for libraries.

Outside of the three successful policies secured with SEA410 in 2020, ILF still supports many of the policies listed in the 2020 Policy Priorities. However, ILF may not pursue these at the expense of the two main priorities above.

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* 5. To what degree do you agree with the strategy above to focus proactively on internet/broadband and stable funding?

With regard to a specific piece of legislation related to public libraries as requested by ILF members, ILF is considering a piece of legislation that may include the following elements:
* electronic attendance at public library board meetings 
* changing the definition of library services to reflect the expanded role that libraries play in communities and how libraries may transform into a future model of services 
* making it easier for libraries to share resources voluntarily, including staff, contracts, etc. 
* making it easier for libraries to merge voluntarily (those who merged found it too time consuming and expensive)
* updating the Code so that the library does not need external approval to spend money it has saved for a specific purpose.

A proactive piece of legislation provides opportunity to tell the story of libraries to discuss funding as well. 

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* 6. To what degree do you agree with each of these elements of potential legislation?

  Do you support? What priority?
Allow for public library board meetings to permit electronic attendance
Amend the "library services" definition in statute to reflect present and future services
Make it easier for libraries to share resources voluntarily (i.e. staff, contracts, etc.)
Make it easier for libraries to merge voluntarily
updating the Code so that the library does not need external approval to spend money it has saved for a specific purpose

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* 7. INSPIRE funding is now within the budget for Indiana State Library rather than a separate line item.  During the last two years, ILF members responded that INSPIRE should remain on ILF's priority list, but not at the expense of other ILF priorities, and that ILF should provide members tools for their own advocacy on INSPIRE without spending limited ILF lobbying resources on INSPIRE.

Given this is a budget year, and all state agencies are asked to cut their budgets, the ILF Advocacy Committee wants to understand the library community's priorities for funding of the Indiana State Library programs, including INSPIRE.  The ILF Advocacy Committee recommends lowering the priority level for INSPIRE funding so that INSPIRE is one of many library services we discuss with policymakers. Should legislators seek to cut funding, ILF may work to defend INSPIRE in the context of other priorities. To what extent do you agree with this approach with INSPIRE?

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* 8. Last year, ILF prioritized library cards for foster children, which was included in SEA410, now PL88.  
 
LIBRARY CARDS - For each policy idea below, share YOUR assessment.

  Do you support? What priority?
Revise PLAC, Public Library Access Card (explain how in comments)
Create a universal card for access statewide.
Enable student e-cards for any student under 18 or enrolled in school

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* 9. RE: ILF's priority for effective school library programs, staffed with certified school librarians, and supported by school library assistants.  During the last recession, schools reduced the number of school librarians. During the last few years, schools struggled to find qualified certified school librarians to fill open positions, and we understand that school administrators may prefer to ask a teacher they know to take the test rather than to recruit and hire a qualified school librarian from the outside. We believe there will be competition to retain school librarians in the expected funding and workforce climate for the next budget cycle. 

During AISLE Camp in 2019, about 25 participants discussed the options to retain school librarians under budgetary pressures. We discussed options if cuts must be made, that member school librarians prioritize retention of a school library program with a school librarian and assistant even if the school librarian absorbs responsibilities of teaching classes and/or also serving as reading coach, instructional coach, technology integration specialist.  

To what degree do you agree with this approach to retain qualified school librarians and school libraries?

  Do you support? What priority?
if needed, carry a teaching load of 1-2 classes
if needed, also serve as a reading coach/district
if needed, also serve as a instructional coach for the school/district
if needed, also serve as a tech integration specialist for the school/district

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* 10. RE: ILF's priority for effective school library programs, staffed with certified school librarians, and supported by school library assistants. 

During the last two budget sessions, policymakers asked how schools and public libraries could work more collaboratively to reduce costs on print and electronic collections.  There are various models of resource sharing, which might be hampered by school or public library policies, incongruent district boundaries, etc.  Help us understand the current level of school-public sharing of print and electronic resources, the barriers to increased sharing, and your support of expansion of sharing of resources.

  Does this happen today? Do you support? What priority?
Schools/school libraries share resources with public libraries
Public libraries share resources with schools/school libraries

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* 11. Thinking of LONG-TERM PRIORITIES FOR ILF to advance library services for the benefit of Indiana residents, assign YOUR PRIORITY LEVEL for LONG-TERM PRIORITIES (over several years which may drive the types of short-term policies we support).

  Your priority level for LONG-TERM priorities?
Build support for effective school libraries, supported by certified school librarians
Enable universal access by 1 library card per resident for access to any library statewide 
Require certain level of funding for school libraries by students/schools/districts/population
Simplify ways for libraries to consolidate functions
Simplify process to expand library services to unserved areas
Complete update of IN Code related to public libraries

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* 12. What else should the Advocacy Committee know about needs, trends or policy issues as we plan our ILF policy priorities and strategies?

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* 13. STRATEGIES - Developing the policy priorities is only the first step. Then we must implement our advocacy strategy. Please help us understand your comfort level and experience in each of the areas.

  Comfortable/experienced Not comfortable or experienced, yet INTERESTED Not comfortable or experienced and NOT INTERESTED
Talk with legislators in my district
Talk with legislators at the statehouse
Write letters to the editor/columns
Ask key leaders or influencers in my community to contact legislators
Participate in a common ILF messaging campaign

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* 14. STRATEGIES IN THE LIBRARY - Please help us understand your comfort level and experience in each of the areas.

  Comfortable/experienced Not comfortable or experienced, yet INTERESTED Not comfortable or experienced and NOT INTERESTED
Ask my board members to talk to legislators
Ask my Friends, Foundations, Vendors to talk with legislators
Organize a library tour for legislators
Post library information or an advocacy piece in my library
Communicate with patrons about library advocacy

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* 15. Is there anything else you would want to share about ILF Advocacy or ILF?

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