MN Regroups Somewhat, Submits LSTA Plan to IMLS

Two-and-a-half months after the state library agency in Minnesota was gutted (see News, LJ 7/02 , p. 14), the Office of Library Development and Services (LDS) submitted its five-year Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) plan to the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—and officials in Minnesota think it will pass muster.

"The comments I've gotten [from IMLS] is that ours is one of the better ones they've seen, so we feel comfortable," said Ken Hasledalen, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Children, Families, and Learning (CFL) and the new chief library officer.

To produce the plan (children.state.mn.us/library/news.html ), Minnesota both gained a two-week extension (to August 15) and outsourced its writing to local library consultants the Milestone Group, which also gathered input from librarians in the state. "The [Minnesota Library Association] board felt that the department sort of legitimized the process by contracting that work out," said Chris Olson, MLA president.

CFL on June 4 cut six of nine positions supporting library development and the state library. Since then, the LDS has rehired a staffer laid off earlier in the year to help deal with LSTA funding. "I got quite a bit of feedback from the library community about the need to accommodate that," said Hasledalen, who emphasized that the department now has five librarians—three working for library development and two in the Library for the Blind.

"I think the department has positioned itself so that it can limp along and serve on a short-term basis," said Olson. "I'm concerned that the person in charge of the agency is not a librarian, and there's a definite need for additional staff to provide professional advice and leadership."

Moreover, no decision has been made regarding the contents of the state library collection, which was closed. Two of the five components—the professional library collection and general education materials—may be moved to a state university, said Hasledalen. However, Olson pointed out, if the state doesn't provide the resources to staff the collection, "I'm not sure there's any library here willing to do that."

At the end of July, library leaders at a planning meeting agreed to create a new Minnesota Library Council to communicate with lawmakers and constituents, facilitate the creation of a long-term vision for libraries, and strengthen the state library agency. What guarantee will librarians have that agency leaders will listen to an ad hoc council? "This is another route to the legislature," said Olson. "We certainly have heard from a number of key legislators that they feel the rebuilding of the state library is important."

Legislators, according to former LDS staffer Roger Sween, were particularly displeased that CFL did not send any representative to a June 25 meeting of the House Education Policy Committee. Also, CFL has not responded to a letter from the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), asking that the decision to slash LDS be reconsidered.

Sween, who retired in 2000 after 16 years, said, "It's my view that there's no actual functioning state library agency that meets state statutory responsibilities." Hasledalen acknowledged that the parent agency might not meet state requirements in a number of areas. "We're going to have to go back to the legislature and ask for relief from state statutes," he said.

Meanwhile, a new governor and many new legislators will be elected in November. Should another governor from the Independence Party be elected, it's possible that current CFL leaders will remain, but otherwise they won't. "So these are long-term decisions," Sween said, "made by people with less than half a year left."

Sween, who described the LSTA plan as "skeletal," said he thinks it's inappropriate for IMLS to approve the plan, which could bring more than $4 million in federal funds. If the scenario from such a truncated agency is approved, he warned, other states might be tempted to cut their state library agencies as well.

The July 29 draft of the LSTA document submitted to NCLIS, posted on the agency web site, acknowledged that "budget cuts have necessitated a drastic reduction in staff at the state library agency." While that necessity is arguable—many in Minnesota consider the cuts to the library agency disproportionate—that sentence was cut from the final proposal. "To dwell on budget cuts," said Hasledalen, "is just an excuse for not doing things."