As you review the Children’s Services Guidelines and take this survey please remember that these guidelines are for all sizes of public libraries in all types of Oregon communities. Think about your library, but also keep bigger and smaller libraries in mind. It is especially important to OLA’s Children’s Services Division that small libraries are able to implement the essential guidelines because 55% of Oregon libraries are considered to be small libraries. The average small library in Oregon has two full-time paid staff who serve a community of 3,545 with a total revenue of $152,571 a year and a collection budget of $11,695.

The guidelines are divided into sections by topic, such as administration and programming. Some topics have sub-topics, others do not. Each topic and sub-topic lists essential things a library must do to provide quality children’s services, enhanced things a library may do to provide high-quality children’s services, and exemplary things a library may do to provide the highest-quality children’s services.

The Children’s Services Guidelines assume that libraries also use OLA’s Public Library Division’s Standards for Oregon Public Libraries. For example, the Standards for Oregon Public Libraries say that it is essential that all library “Buildings comply with all federal, state and local codes, including safety, parking and ADA compliance.” Therefore, there is nothing about ADA compliance in the Children’s Services Guidelines because it’s covered in the Standards for Oregon Public Libraries.

Please provide input on what is included or not included in the Children's Services Guidelines (content). Do not provide feedback on wording, grammar, or punctuation at this time.

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