Combined School / Public Libraries

The State Library regularly receives requests for information regarding the legal and practical issues involved in creating a combined school and public library.  Such libraries are typically housed in a single facility and, ideally, they should provide both the curriculum support functions of the school library and the service functions of the public library for the community.

• There are significant obstacles inherent in combining libraries, as evidenced by the fact that only a handful of such libraries exist in Iowa and the surrounding states.   
• While operating joint libraries is often seen as a way for cities and school districts to save money, per capita expenditures have actually increased in the last five Iowa communities where school and public libraries combined.
• Based upon data collected by the State Library, combined libraries are much less likely to meet public library accreditation standards in order to qualify for direct state aid.

Is a Combined School / Public Library Right for Your Community? was written to assist Iowa communities in making informed decisions on whether to combine school and public library services.  It provides decision-makers with a means of assessing the feasibility of establishing a combined library and, if the decision is made to proceed, with a Planning Guide that addresses the many areas of library operations that need to be considered if the combined library is to be successful.