Mission and Services

Northwest Kansas Library System

Services:

Blind and Physically Handicapped // Mail-a-book // Consulting // Continuing Education // Automation and Technology // Children and Youth //Reference and Interlibrary Loan // Rotating Collections // Technical Services // Direct Grants // Service Guidelines // Program for Library Service Centers

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Northwest Kansas Library System is to improve library service where it exists in the participating counties and to provide library service where it does not exist.

Vision Statement:

Our vision for the future in a global community is to enable all northwest Kansans to access flexible and responsive library service

The Kansas Library Network for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, in cooperation with the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, provides library services and materials to Kansans unable to use conventional print. Northwest Kansas Library System maintains and circulates the Library of Congress Talking Book collection and equipment for the eligible blind, visually impaired, physically impaired, and reading disabled in 33 counties in western Kansas. NWKLS contracts with SWKLS for a ten hour per week Talking Book consultant. The NWKLS BPH department serves as a source of programming materials and information on services for older and disabled patrons. Resources besides the Talking Books include BiFolkal Kits, Descriptive Videos, and magnifiers.

All NWKLS librarians are encouraged to maintain a display of Talking Book equipment and to promote the Talking Books service to any qualified patron.

Mail-a-book:

The Northwest Kansas library System provides free Mail-a-book services to all residents of participating counties who reside in or who own property in an area of a participating county on which a public library tax is not levied. In addition, homebound residents of town which do levy a public library tax may receive this service. A catalog and supplement are mailed to patrons and books are sent through the mail directly to their homes. No loan fees or postage are charged the borrower.

Member libraries are encouraged to provide information to eligible patrons on the service, and to provide copies of the catalog when asked.

Consulting Service:

NWKLS personnel offer assistance to librarians, trustees, community members and officials on any aspect of library work or management. Staff members are available for consultation by telephone during regular service hours and for site visits as scheduled. A professional collection of books, magazines, and videos is maintained and available for loan. New librarians are visited and given an orientation to System services and library procedures.

Continuing Education:

In order to accomplish its mission of extending and improving library service in the region, the Northwest Kansas Library System plans a program of continuing education events to train personnel, trustees, and volunteers in member libraries. NWKLS supports the principles in the state Continuing Education Plan and participates in the Kansas State Library Employee Education Program for library personnel.

Automation and Technology:

Consulting services are provided to help member librarians learn and use current technologies, and to help librarians plan for the future. The System provides leadership, advice, and training for accessing electronic information services.

Children and Youth Services:

NWKLS will assist librarians in meeting the information and recreational reading needs of children and young adults. The System provides consulting , programming materials, workshops, and a collection of age-appropriate library materials. The Assistant Director/Consultant participates in the statewide planning group for children's services. The System distributes Summer Library Program materials and helps coordinate special programming, collections and events.

Reference and Interlibrary Loan:

NWKLS provides information to member librarians in response to their specific user requests and provides leadership and guidance in improving local library reference. Title, subject, periodical, and reference requests from member and contracting libraries will be filled if possible, from the System collection or referred other libraries, agencies, and organizations. The System subscribes to the American Library Association, the Bibliographic Center for Research, and the Kansas Information Circuit codes and e-mail protocols for Interlibrary Loan, and encourages members to follow system and state procedures. Member libraries are encouraged to apply for and become part of the statewide interlibrary loan system (KICNET) to speed up the service for their patrons. Priority should be given to using electronic methods of requests.

Rotation Service:

NWKLS operates a rotation van stocked with a collection of materials, including books, audio cassettes, and video cassettes, for local public library selection. Each public library is visited by the van every two months. In addition, collections of materials or bulk loans on specified subjects may be reserved for a specific time in any library.

Technical Services:

Technical services are the ordering, processing and cataloging of library materials. All materials cataloged for NWKLS and member libraries are added to the Kansas Library Catalog (KLC). Member libraries should send additional holdings to the State Library for inclusion in the KLC. Machine readable cataloging records, or limited reimbursement for MARC records purchased from other providers, are provided to requesting libraries. Catalog cards are supplied for those libraries requesting that service. The System uses OCLC and Bibliofile for cataloging, and uses automated ordering systems through Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Libraries are billed monthly for any materials or supplies purchased through NWKLS.

Direct Grants:

NWKLS provides extended service grants to member public libraries who meet basic requirements. The purpose of the System Service grants is to assist libraries in serving individuals residing outside the traditional taxing area. Dependent upon the availability of funds, opportunities will be given for member libraries to apply for continuing education, equipment or other grants, based on specified criteria.

Service Guidelines:

To receive a System Service Grant, a public library must meet all of the following conditions: 1) Must be a legally established public library located in one of the taxing counties of the Northwest Kansas library System as defined under KSA 12-1218.2) Must catalog all of its new acquisitions through NWKLS or otherwise notify NWKLS or the State Library of the acquisition of new materials for inclusion in the Kansas Library Catalog. 3) One representative from the library must attend either of the two Full System Board meetings and a minimum of one library staff member must attend a minimum of one System workshop other than one held in conjunction with a Full System Board meeting. 4) Must qualify to receive State Aid to Libraries 5) Must have Internet access and a library e-mail address, and must use e-mail or the web-based KLC for the majority of Interlibrary loan requests sent to NWKLS 6) Must have a telephone in the library.

A library not meeting the requirements will have their grant reduced accordingly.

Program for Library Service Centers:

Levels:

The System Center located in Norton serves as the library clearing house in the system area, assisting member libraries to become more effective access points to library services throughout the state and nation. The System collection, most of which is housed in Norton Public Library, contains a wide variety of useful materials which serve as the central bibliographic reference and research center.

The System Headquarters and member libraries will provide free access to the System's resources to every person in the System area. The System will also provide professional and administrative personnel to carry out the System programs and assist in the planning of local library service programs. Necessary clerical and technical help essential to the service programs will also be provided by the System.

Hours of service will be Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM except for designated holidays. Toll-free telephone service is provided during these hours for both member libraries and area residents without immediate access to a local library.

The System Headquarters acts as a resource center for all needs of the libraries at each level of service described below. Each of these libraries in turn acts as an access point for their patrons to the various NWKLS programs and services.

The System Headquarters also serves as the Blind & Physically Handicapped Sub-Regional Library for the 33 counties in Northwest Kansas and Southwest Kansas Library Systems.

Classifications for member libraries are based on population, and will be examined every five years using official census data. A library may request their own classification be examined at any time if they feel they are in the wrong category.

Measurements of Quality, Public Library Standards for Kansas, 1995, discusses standards for all Kansas libraries and for libraries in each category, and all libraries are encouraged to work toward the highest standards.

*Major Service Center I (Population: 2500-10,000)

Maximum Grant: $3240

Pioneer Memorial Library in Colby, Goodland Public Library, and Norton Public Library are Major Service Center I Libraries. They make an effort to reach large areas outside their library boundaries in service to rural residents and people from smaller towns in their vicinity. These libraries serve as walk-in resource centers to many people throughout the NWKLS district.

*Service Center (Population: 1,000-2,500)

Maximum Grant: $2240

The public libraries in Hoxie, Oakley, Oberlin, St. Francis & WaKeeney are Service Center Libraries and serve as secondary interlibrary loan resource collections.

*Linking (Population: 500-1,000)

Maximum Grant: $1740

Linking Libraries are those in Bird City, Quinter and Sharon Springs. They serve relatively smaller areas outside their taxing districts and have fewer resources with which to work than Service Center and Major Service Center I libraries.

*Gateway (Population: less than 500)

Maximum Grant: $990

Gateway Libraries are located in Almena, Gove, Grainfield, Grinnell, Jennings, Lenora, Norcatur, and Selden. They also serve smaller numbers of people outside of their taxing district and have fewer resources.

*Club libraries are non-legally established public libraries and are operated in Clayton and Brewster. They are not required to meet state standards and do not receive System Service Grants. The System also supplies book racks and paperback books to businesses in small towns with no libraries. These Book Stations are required to allow free access to these collections. The books are circulated via an honor system, and the locations do not charge rent for the space used. Currently, there are book stations in Rexford, Winona, and Weskan.

Program for Contracting Libraries:

There are currently no libraries contracting with NWKLS for service. Contracting libraries are located in counties that do not levy a System tax. Contracting school and other types of libraries receive all System services except System grants and rotating book service free of charge. They are charged for the services based on a $100 base fee plus a per capita charge based on the actual cost of the service..

Program for Other Types of Libraries:

School Libraries, Institutional Libraries and Community College libraries have the responsibility to follow those System policies and practices which promote cooperation and which do not conflict with those established by their governing boards, the Kansas State Department of Education or the Kansas State Department of Corrections. They receive all the services of member public libraries except grants and rotation.

Interlibrary Cooperation Program:

The Northwest Kansas Library System will continue to support all types of interlibrary cooperation possible, between local libraries of different types, between the regional library systems and on a state and national basis. The Northwest Kansas Library System will cooperate in all programs and activities for state-wide library development as adopted by the Kansas State Library Advisory Commission and the Kansas Library Network Board. The System will support plans for systematic programs for the reciprocal use of resources on a state-wide basis, such as reciprocal borrowing privileges, central processing, and union catalogs. NWKLS will lead and assist member libraries in becoming members of online networks and encourages libraries to take advantage of the full line of opportunities made available by such networks.

The Northwest Kansas Library System will cooperate with Southwest Kansas Library System on the Talking Book Program, and with other regional library systems to provide Mail-a-book services, Summer Library Program, and continuing education programs.

Please direct comments to: nwkls@ruraltel.net
This page last updated October 14, 2007