- (a) Government Code, §441.006, charges the commission with adopting policies and rules to aid and encourage the development of and cooperation among all types of libraries. In addition, Government Code, Chapter 441, Subchapter I, authorizes the commission with setting accreditation standards for public libraries. Under this authority, this subchapter prescribes the policies and standards for the accreditation of public libraries, which determines the eligibility of public libraries for state assistance through programs and services of the agency.
- (b) Accreditation is not intended to evaluate the adequacy of a public library's staff, budget, resources, or services, nor is accreditation intended to limit or restrict the number of communities in Texas that wish to operate a public library. The accreditation process is designed to establish the minimum criteria a library must meet if the library wishes to take advantage of certain programs offered by the commission.
- (c) The annual report described in §1.78 of this title (relating to Annual Report) is the mechanism by which accreditation criteria are reviewed and accreditation is awarded.
Source Note:The provisions of this §1.70 adopted to be effective September 1, 2025, 50 TexReg 2765.