State Library and NETLS Budget Issues
By now most of you have read the long letter from Peggy Rudd regarding state library funding. If you have not taken the time to read the entire letter, please do so. The realities of state library funding will affect all libraries as well as the NETLS program. It's better to be prepared than to be surprised.
The Future of Consulting & Continuing Education
As Peggy stated in her letter, the state library will only be able to provide a minimal level of funding for the systems program. In a previous letter released to systems last week, Peggy also states that continuing education will no longer be a function of the system office. Effective September 1, 2011 NETLS will not be able to provide workshops with system funds (see attached). The state library will be coordinating all CE. The TANG program is expected to continue in SFY2012 with few changes. If you do not have a current technology inventory or plan, contact me or Jerry Brock as soon as possible.
Due to funding reductions, we have been asked to revise our plan of service we submitted in April to include only core services, excluding continuing education and special projects. Over the next year we hope to point you in the direction of services that will continue after the NETLS System program has been eliminated. These services may be provided by TSLAC, TLA, ALA or by projects in other states or nonprofit organizations.
In SFY 2012, we would like to help libraries establish regional support groups that would foster the sharing of information and services. I would envision regional groups of libraries that meet regularly to share ideas, best practices, expertise and services.
For now, we continue our commitment to help libraries find savings through E-rate discounts and our list of supply discounts on our website and to provide continuing education through August 31 of this year.
Our CE Calendar includes the following workshops through August 31:
July 18 Lancaster
July 19 Frisco
July 28 Gladewater
July 29 Sulphur Springs
Aug 9 McKinney
Aug 10 Mesquite
Aug 11 Quitman
Aug 12 Dallas
Aug 23 Gladewater
Aug 24 Sulphur Springs
Aug 25 Kaufman
Aug 26 Allen
Jerry McCulley
Interim Coordinator
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