a) Administration

1. 1) The library system shall develop an annual operational plan with input from members that addresses the specified standards for core services. The operational plan shall be submitted to the Illinois State Library as part of the application specified in Section 3030.265.
2. 2) The library system shall ensure that all system members have opportunities for input into or to comment on planning and evaluation activities, such as system plans of service, plans of cooperation, long-range plans, and program designs, including budgetary information, before the plans are finally adopted.

3. 3) The library system shall designate staff to fulfill the roles specified in this Part. One staff member can fulfill various roles. Staffing designations include:

   1. A) Membership, including recordkeeping, member directory, application review, certification support and consultation as specified in subsection (a)(4).

4. B) Bibliographic access as specified in subsection (c)(7).

   1. C) Training in resource sharing processes and procedures for member libraries.
   2. D) Consulting and continuing education assistance to member libraries in understanding and complying with applicable State statutes and administrative rules, and with the system's bylaws, policies and plan of service, and any additional consulting and/or continuing education services that may be approved by the State Librarian.

5. E) Oversight of system-wide delivery.

   1. F) Coordinating system-wide resource sharing, including interlibrary loan, reciprocal access and reciprocal borrowing.

6. G) Communications to system members.

   1. H) Publication of the names of participating and non-participating public libraries in the non-resident program, per the requirements of Public Library Non-Resident Services (23 Ill. Adm. Code 3050.30).

7. 4) Membership

   1. A) The system shall designate staff to actively maintain accurate system membership information, including up-to-date directory information of library system members on the Illinois State Library specified web site.
   2. B) The system shall designate staff to administer and act upon system membership applications as detailed in Section 3030.200.
   3. C) The system shall designate staff to provide member library support and promotional activities during the annual library certification process.
   4. D) The system shall designate staff to work with libraries, other library systems and the Illinois State Library on membership-related issues and questions.
   5. 5) Provide the essential information technology infrastructure in-house to carry out the system standards.
   6. 6) Promote the use of State procurement contracts by system members and pursue other collaborative purchasing agreements for the benefit of members when State group purchasing opportunities do not address member needs.

b) General Resource Sharing Standards

1. 1) Work cooperatively and collaboratively with member libraries, other systems and their member libraries, and the Illinois State Library to maintain and strengthen resource sharing and to coordinate resource sharing efforts, including addressing interlibrary loan responsibilities as specified in the ILLINET Interlibrary Loan Code (see Exhibit A).
2. 2) Participate in meetings convened by the Illinois State Library to develop and share best practices and innovations in resource sharing.
3. 3) Establish a mechanism for resolving disputes over resource sharing, including the mediation of reciprocal borrowing and interlibrary loan requests, fulfillment problems, and the damage or loss of materials.
4. 4) Provide training to member libraries on resource sharing processes and procedures.

c) Bibliographic Access Standards

1. 1) Encourage full member libraries to participate in a Local Library System Automation Program. Only full member libraries are eligible for Local Library System Automation Program participation; developmental libraries and non-system members cannot participate. Systems should work collaboratively to eliminate existing restrictions on participation by full members in shared automation programs. The Local Library System Automation Program resource sharing plan shall be in compliance with the system resource sharing plan.
2. 2) Explore the potential of emerging integrated library system software and other automated discovery tools that facilitate resource sharing and the creation of a regional and/or statewide Local Library System Automation Program.
3. 3) Develop and strengthen the ability of member libraries' staffs to implement and use currently available and emerging resource discovery tools.
4. 4) Work with member libraries in building and maintaining library collections that meet the primary needs of their patrons.
5. 5) Work with member libraries in organizing library collections using accepted bibliographic methods for cataloging and classification of library materials.
6. 6) Facilitate the development of expertise in the use of resource description, including cataloging and metadata, among member library staffs.
7. 7) Assign a professional staff member to be responsible for the system's bibliographic access activities.
8. 8) Identify how automated online access to unique holdings in member libraries can be provided, including a timetable for achieving access.
9. 9) Work with system members in developing plans for how new acquisitions of all members will be exposed and maintained via a Local Library System Automation Program or a shared bibliographic database as specified in Section 3030.200(a)(2)(N).

d) Consulting and Continuing Education Standards

1. 1) The system shall designate staff to provide consulting and continuing education assistance to member libraries in understanding and complying with applicable State statutes and administrative rules and with the system's bylaws, policies and plan of service. The assistance provided may be in response to member-initiated inquiries or in organized group training sessions.
2. 2) The library system shall present a written plan with accompanying budget for additional consulting and/or continuing education services based on members needs and input. At a minimum, the plan should address services in the areas of library advocacy, management and practice.

e) Delivery Standards

1. 1) Provide for the equitable and consistent delivery of library materials to full member libraries to fulfill patron requests.
2. 2) Provide delivery via methods including, but not limited to, library system delivery; Illinois Library Delivery Service; electronic; commercial delivery services; and U.S. Postal Service.

3. 3) Designate a staff person to coordinate system-wide delivery.

   1. 4) Provide a vehicular delivery service to deliver materials to and from member libraries according to the following standards:

   2. A) Provide its own delivery service or contract for delivery service.

      1. B) Coordinate the delivery service with the Illinois Library Delivery Service.
      2. C) Provide basic delivery at no cost to full member libraries with one delivery point per member or community drop-off point provided by the library system. Expedited, higher frequencies than the established volume levels or some specially requested form of enhanced delivery may incur a charge to the requesting member library.
      3. D) Provide each member library with direct delivery a minimum of two times per week when it needs and requests that delivery.
      4. E) Determine delivery points and frequency based on criteria including, but not limited to, volume of use (counted both to and from sites), collection strengths and convenience of member libraries. The criteria will be posted and readily available.
      5. F) Work collectively with other library systems and the Illinois State Library to implement equitable, statewide delivery frequencies and criteria.
      6. G) Ensure that each member library has an option for delivery up to five days per week to a drop-off point.
      7. 5) Develop and distribute written system delivery policies and procedures to include as part of the operational plan in the annual application in Section 3030.265. The policies and procedures shall:

   3. A) Identify delivery methods available and when to use each;

      1. B) Describe delivery schedules and sub-schedules;

      2. C) Identify fixed points for picking up and receiving materials;

         1. D) Describe the mechanism for determining van delivery and locations and deliveries (for example: poundage, items);

      3. E) Provide a mechanism for annual review;

         1. F) Describe how the system delivery service interfaces with other library delivery systems through the Illinois Library Delivery Service;
         2. G) Establish uniform policies and procedures to govern problems related to delivery service, including packaging standards and indemnification of suppliers for loss or damage in delivery;

      4. H) Utilize statewide uniform statistical data-gathering methods;

         1. I) Ensure that its delivery service shall complete the schedule on a consistent and regular basis.

4. 6) Provide training for member libraries on delivery procedures.

   1. f) Resource Sharing Standards: Reciprocal Access, Reciprocal Borrowing and Interlibrary Loan

      1. 1) Designate a resource sharing coordinator to monitor and guide the resource sharing program.
      2. 2) Promote reciprocal access and interlibrary loan to all full member libraries and establish policies that support reciprocal borrowing of materials by all full member public libraries.

   2. 3) Adopt a resource sharing plan that, as a minimum, shall include:

      1. A) Reciprocal Access

         1. i) a strategy for promotion of reciprocal access among full member libraries of the library system and for establishing policies that support reciprocal access.
         2. ii) how member libraries in the system shall provide reciprocal access, including limitations, if any, that individual member libraries may establish for reciprocal access.

      2. B) Statewide Reciprocal Borrowing

         1. i) a strategy for establishing policies that encourage full member public libraries to participate in statewide reciprocal borrowing.
         2. ii) no library may charge a fee to any statewide reciprocal borrower that is not charged to the library's patrons or system-wide reciprocal borrower unless the fee was in effect on July 1, 2014.

      3. C) System-wide Reciprocal Borrowing

         1. i) a strategy for establishing policies that support system-wide reciprocal borrowing of materials by patrons of all full member public libraries.
         2. ii) the scope of reciprocal borrowing within the system among its full member public libraries, including but not limited to how public libraries shall participate; how other types of libraries can participate in the program; and the types of materials that are covered under reciprocal borrowing.
         3. iii) the requirement that all reciprocal borrowing patrons will be treated the same and that reasonable limitations on quantities of reciprocal borrowing loans shall be allowed only if system-specified parameters are met, as established in the system resource sharing plan.
         4. iv) the definition of a library card valid for purposes of reciprocal borrowing.
         5. v) a mechanism for resolving disputes over reciprocal, borrowing including the damage or loss of materials.
         6. vi) the requirement that the library of a patron who borrows materials from another library through reciprocal borrowing is responsible for lost and damaged materials if the patron does not pay. The resource sharing plan, however, may allow for alternate means of resolving the loss or damage if the lending library agrees.

      4. D) Interlibrary Loan

         1. i) the ILLINET Interlibrary Loan Code (23 Ill. Adm. Code 3030.Exhibit E) will be followed.
         2. ii) a mechanism for resolving disputes over interlibrary loan issues, including fulfillment problems and the damage or loss of material in accordance with the Code.
         3. E) The resource sharing statistics that the system and member libraries will gather.
      5. 4) Address the library system's responsibilities towards non-resident services as specified in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 3050.30.
      6. 5) Work collectively with other multi-type library systems and the Illinois State Library to explore the provision of library service to unserved areas of the State.

g) Other Core Member Services

1. 1) Additional core member services may be designated by the State Librarian.
2. 2) Prior to providing the service, the library system must develop a written plan with accompanying budget for the service. The plan should address the system's role and member library responsibilities, and shall show evidence of being developed with input from the board and membership.
3. 3) The plan is subject to approval by the State Librarian.