Section 3035.115  Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grants

a)         To be eligible for a per capita or an annual equalization grant, a public library shall show that it will either meet or show progress toward meeting Serving Our Public 4.0:  Standards for Illinois Public Libraries (2019) (produced by the Illinois Library Association, 560 W. Washington Boulevard #330, Chicago IL 60661). The material incorporated by reference includes no later amendments or editions. A grant applicant must raise or improve its performance levels in relation to the standards, when those levels are below the standards, according to objectives, time frames, and priorities the library shall state in its application for a grant, and that it shall also state are consistent with the terms of the plan of service of the system of which it is a member.  (See Section 8.1(1) of the Illinois Library System Act [75 ILCS 10].) The applying library must be in good standing with the library system of which the applying library is a member and meet the criteria of a "full member library" or a "developmental member library" as defined in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 3030.110.  Pursuant to 75 ILCS 10/3, the applying library must certify that it has adopted either the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights that indicates materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval or provide a written policy, adopted by the public library's board of trustees, that indicates the library will protect the intellectual freedom of the library user and shall prevent censorship of its library materials, ensuring that items are not withdrawn from its library collection merely because individuals or groups object to the material.  The applicant library shall certify that for grants made under this Section on or after January 1, 2024, and upon request of the State Librarian, the library agrees to provide the Illinois State Library with any final decision for the reconsideration of library materials during the term of the grant award.

b)         Application for annual equalization grants and per capita grants to public libraries shall be made each year.  (Section 8 of the Act)  Whenever an applicant library reports any changes in the population count for the eligible service area population, the applicant library must submit with the grant application the appropriate supporting legal documentation for the population count change.  The Illinois State Library will validate the eligible service area population of a public library using the latest census of the population of Illinois, or of a municipality or parts of a municipality, as prepared and submitted to the Secretary of State's Index Department by the federal government and certified by the Secretary of State in accordance with the application deadline date established by the Illinois State Library.

c)         For a public library to qualify for a per capita grant, it must be a member of a library system and not under suspension.  The application shall show that grant funds will be used to meet or make progress in meeting Illinois library standards cited in subsection (a). 

d)         A public library that receives a per capita grant and or equalization aid and contracts for service with another public library must, within 30 days after receipt of the grant funds, remit the entire amount to the public library that provides the service.

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 948, effective January 1, 2024)