Alabama Public Library Service Conducting Online Survey and Town Meetings for Five-Year Plan Feedback

The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) will host an online survey at your public library through November 18 to assist in gathering information to develop APLS’ next five-year plan. This plan is needed in order to receive federal funds. The survey may be taken online at http://webmini.apls.state.al.us/survey/ or at one of the 225 public libraries around the state.

APLS will also conduct town meetings at seven locations throughout Alabama during November. Agency director Nancy Pack said, “These meetings will provide an opportunity for community leaders and all citizens to explain what they think about Alabama’s public libraries, what they value in libraries, and what they think libraries should provide. Their voices will be heard by those who will write the next Five-Year Plan for Library Development in Alabama.”

The meetings will be held at these locations and times:
November 1, 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Baldwin County Cooperative Building Auditorium
November 2, 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Ozark-Dale County Public Library
November 3, 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.,Tuscaloosa Public Library
November 3, 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., Homewood Public Library
November 14, 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., Athens-Limestone Public Library
November 15, 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Boaz Public Library
November 16, 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library

Why is it important to make your voice heard?
The Alabama Public Library Service is the state library agency. It serves all citizens of Alabama through services provided to local libraries and state employees.

APLS receives over $2.3 million in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) federal funds each year from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the federal agency that governs these funds. Allocated by Congress, these dollars are used
to supplement the APLS Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, provide grants to individual libraries, provide statewide projects and databases (Learning Express, Chilton, Ancestry Library Edition), and provide additional resources for all Alabama citizens.

By legislation and laws, the expenditure of these funds must be in accordance with the goals and objectives of the APLS five-year plan. This plan must be approved by the IMLS. The current plan expires on September 30, 2017. Information received from citizens, library administrators, and local state and national leaders will be addressed in the development of the next five-year plan covering October 1, 2017-September 30, 2022.

To learn more about APLS, visit their website.