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State Aid Resources for Pennsylvania Public Libraries

Transitioning to a Branch Library

Independent Library Becoming a Branch of Another Independent Library

The information below is general advice for this type of transition and may not apply to every situation.
Please reach out to State Aid for specifics concerning your situation.

Required Documentation for OCL

If an Independent Library is transitioning to a Branch designation of another Independent Library, the following documents need to be submitted to OCL with the next State Aid Library Subsidy Application (SALSA). Service area changes for the purpose of state aid are only recognized once a year, during the State Aid Library Subsidy Application (SALSA).

From the Transitioning Library

  • Board minutes and resolution from the Independent library board reflecting the change in status and dissolution of the Independent Library.

From the Central Library 

  • Board minutes and resolution from the Central Library reflecting the addition of the future Branch.

  • A letter to the State Librarian describing and justifying the adjustment in service area as a result of acquiring a new Branch from an existing library.

Recommendations and Best Practices (do not send to OCL)

  • Documentation from the library transitioning to a Branch -
  • Documentation from the Central Library -
    • A legal agreement between the two libraries (e.g.., library transfer agreement).  
    • Letter(s) from the municipality(ies) of the Central library allowing the new library into their service area. 

Things to Consider

  • State aid payments - Currently, due to the formula not running, state aid of the library becoming a Branch would be designated to the administrative entity (Central Library). 
  • Are the calendar/fiscal years the same for both the Branch and Central Library?
    • This can affect the data reported on the Annual Report if they are different. 
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System Member Becoming a Branch of a System Member

The information below is general advice for this type of transition and may not apply to every situation.
Please reach out to State Aid for specifics concerning your situation.

Required Documentation for OCL

If a System Member Library is transitioning to a Branch designation of another System Member Library of the same system, the following documents will need to be submitted to OCL with the next State Aid Library Subsidy Application (SALSA). Service area changes for the purpose of state aid are only recognized once a year, during the State Aid Library Subsidy Application (SALSA).

From the Transitioning Library (Submitted through the System Admin Unit)

  • Board minutes and resolution from the System Member Library board reflecting the change in status and dissolution of the System Member Library.

From the Central Library (Submitted through the System Admin Unit)

  • Board minutes and resolution from the Central Library reflecting the addition of the future Branch Library.

From the System
  • A letter to the State Librarian describing and justifying the adjustment in service area as a result of acquiring a new branch from an existing library.

Recommendations and Best Practices (Do not send to OCL)

  • Documentation from the library transitioning to a Branch
  • Documentation from the Central Library
    • A legal agreement between the two libraries (e.g., library transfer agreement). 

Things to Consider

  • State aid payments - For Federated Systems, state aid is disbursed to Federated System Administrations. Member Library amounts are determined by the Federated System's distribution formula. Payment discussions for Member Libraries that are becoming a branch of another Member Library will need to discuss their system distributions with their Federated System Administration. 
  • Are the calendar/fiscal years the same for both the Branch and Central Library?
    • This can affect the data reported on the Annual Report if they are different. 
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