Standards and Accreditation

Accreditation of Public Libraries

• Accreditation is based on the 75 standards in the 4th edition of In Service to Iowa: Public Library Measures of Quality.  
• To be accredited, a library must meet the 40 required measures and an additional 16 locally selected standards.
  
• To remain accredited, a library must reaffirm eligibility every three years by filing an accreditation report. 

There are currently 331 accredited public libraries.  When a library is accredited, it receives a certificate and a higher rate of compensation through Direct State Aid. News releases are also sent to local media outlets.

Libraries Not Accredited Still File a Report

Public libraries that are not accredited or that have not filed a report in the past 3 years are required to submit a Accreditation Application/Report Form by January 31.  The reports:

• Determine eligibility and funding tier status for Direct State Aid
• Benchmark the status of local library service identifying strengths and areas for improvement
  

Background

The State Library documents the condition of public library service in Iowa (Code of Iowa (256.51 (j)) by requiring public libraries to submit accreditation reports.

Iowa’s public library accreditation program has been in place since 1986 based on In Service to Iowa:  Public Library Measure of Quality, 1985. The library community revised In Service to Iowa:  Public Library Measures of Quality in 1989, 1997 and 2004.