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State Aid Resources for Pennsylvania Public Libraries

2024-2025 District Negotiated Agreement (DNA)

According to 24 Pa. C.S. §9338 (c), "A district library center shall implement a program of service to local libraries through an agreement negotiated by representatives from the district library center, local libraries, library systems and the State Library. The program shall be implemented in accordance with district library center rules and regulations issued by the State Librarian." 

The DAC (or in some districts, the DEC) develops the district budget annually through a negotiated agreement. The negotiated agreement is between the DLC, district member libraries, and OCL, and it outlines how state aid will be used to provide district services. As such, an OCL liaison will attend the meeting where the negotiated agreement is developed. Districts must follow the GAC’s Guidelines for Negotiating Agreements for District Library Center Services. The implementation of the negotiated agreement is tracked through the completion of the annual DLC report.

In 2024, the process for the DNA moved from electronic email submissions to Counting Opinions LibPAS platform.

Process for the 2024-2025 DNA

  • Review the GAC Guidelines for Negotiated Agreements for District Library Center Services 2017.
  • Coordinate meetings with your District Advisory Council (DAC) or District Executive Committee (DEC) to collaboratively create a proposed agreement and budget for district services for fiscal year 2024-2025.
  • Involve the Office of Commonwealth Libraries (OCL) Library Development Advisor throughout the process and ensure their attendance (either virtually or physically) at the final district negotiated agreement meeting held for approval by district members.
  • Fill out the District Negotiated Agreement report in LibPAS.
  • IMPORTANT: Agreement and budget information MUST be distributed to ALL public libraries within your district (system members, independent state aided, and non-state aided libraries) and to your OCL Library Development Advisor at least TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE of your final district negotiated agreement meeting. If this step is not taken, the Office of Commonwealth Libraries may not accept your district negotiated agreement and disbursement of funds could be delayed.
  • District Negotiated Agreement and District Negotiated Agreement – Member Verification/Signature page must be submitted in LibPAS by June 14, 2024.
    • Due to the changes this year, each district member has the option of either filling out the signature page OR submitting via the District Negotiated Agreement – Member Verification report in LibPAS. If signature pages are used, all signature pages must be compiled by the district consultant or district admin and uploaded into the District Negotiated Agreement report in section K following the naming structure: “District Name_DNA_24-25”.

 

The District Negotiated Agreement report should be filled out by the district consultant and/or the district administrator. The report should be created with the input of the DAC and/or DEC.

By selecting the line item (selecting the blue link) an internal private note will pop up on all items. The internal private notes contain the description of the item and any relevant information. Internal private notes can be added and saved and will show up on the following year's report but will not be viewable by the public.

  1. Log into Counting Opinions LibPAS.
  2. Select the "Begin Data Input" from the home screen. 
  3. Make sure that the reporting form selected is "District Negotiated Agreement."
  4. The default period is set to 2024-2025.
  5. First Section:
    • This section is where information is provided about the individual filling out the report.
    • Reporting Period Start Date is auto filled.
    • Reporting Period End Date is auto filled.
    • Fill out the next three lines.
  6. Section A: 
    • This section is where district information is provided.
    • A-1 is auto filled.
    • Fill out the A-2 to A-6
      • A-2 and A-5 should both be the person currently in the position. If no one is in the position, enter "VACANT".
  7. Section B:
    • This section is where participants and individual members of the DAC/DEC are listed.
    • The summary line at the top of section B is auto populated. 
    • B-1, B-2, and B-5 are all drop-down options. 
    • B-3 and B-4 are write-ins. 
    • Begin adding all the names of each member of the DAC/DEC. 
      • Once information is added into B-1 a new line will pop-up.
      • Fill out a full line for each member of the district's DAC/DEC.
  8. Section C:
    • This section is where the responsibilities of any affiliate library and what is provided to the affiliate libraries in the district should be listed. 
      • If there are no responsibilities for the affiliate libraries, put N/A in the text box. 
    • Affiliate libraries are those public libraries located within the geographic boundaries of the district which do not qualify for or participate in the State Aid program administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries.
  9. Section D:
    • This section is where all member responsibilities should be listed.
    • Member libraries are those public libraries that qualify for and participate in the State Aid program administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries. Member libraries have certain responsibilities outlined by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries and District Library Centers in order to receive district services. 
      • Responsibilities required by the statute or regulations have already been added by OCL and cannot be changed. 
    • Enter the responsibilities in the text box.
    •  
  10. Section E:
    • This section is where all district responsibilities should be listed.
    • District Library Centers (DLCs) are designated by the State Librarian and approved by the Governor's Advisory Council. DLCs have certain responsibilities outlined in the law and as negotiated by the district library members.
      • Responsibilities required by the statute or regulations have already been added by OCL and cannot be changed. 
    • Enter the responsibilities in the text box.
  11. Section F:
    • This section is where the budget for the district is entered.
    • District Aid Proposed Allocation has already been imported into every DNA. 
      • A reminder that this is the proposed allocation and that final totals may be different than what is proposed. 
    • Fill out the relevant in F-1 to F-3, and F-6 to F-19. 
      • If no money is being spent in a specific line, place a 0 in that line. 
      • F-1 cannot be more than 5% of the total district proposed allocation.
    • F-4, F-5, F-20 and F-21 all auto calculate.
  12. Section G:
    • This section is where the narrative that is related to the budget will be entered. 
    • G-1 asks for an itemized list of what is provided from the budget.
    • G-2 asks for libraries to discuss how the services and resources will serve the entire district. 
    • All budget categories that money is used for must be represented in G-1 and G-2. 
  13. Section H:
    • This is the contingency plan section, where the library writes what will happen if there are changes in the budget for unexpended funds. 
    • OCL recommends that a threshold is written into this section so that DNAs do not have to be renegotiated regularly. 
      • Prior to 2003 the threshold was 10%, but the percentage can be chosen by the district.
  14. Section I: 
  15. Section J:
    • This section has two acknowledgements for the DLC. 
    • Select yes or no for each question. 
      • By selecting "yes", the person completing this form is agreeing that the statement is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge. 
  16. Section K:
    • This section is where any signature pages from libraries in the district would be uploaded. 
    • This section is optional, libraries can fill out the Member Verification - District Negotiated Agreement report.
    • If documents are being uploaded:
      • Instructions on how to upload documents into LibPAS can be found here. 
      • All signature pages need to be combined in a single PDF. 
      • The upload must be a PDF document type. 
      • The naming of the document must follow the naming convention: District Name_DNA_24-25
        • For example, the Philadelphia district would name their upload "Philadelphia_DNA_24-25".
  17. Section L:
    • This section is the formal application for State Aid. 
    • L-1 to L-3 are drop-down questions, select the appropriate answers. 
    • L-4 and L-5 ask for the name of the person submitting the application and their title. 
  18. To print a copy of the DNA once the report is filled out, follow the instructions on how to print out the WAFL - but in the DNA report form.
    • Once in the DNA report., select print in the upper right. 
    • A pop-up box should come up, select template on the pop-up.
    • A download should automatically happen once template is selected, that PDF download is the draft DNA.
    • Select exit in the upper right-hand corner to get back to the DNA report. 
  19. Once all the appropriate information has been filled out, select "Submit", then select "Lock" and the DNA will be submitted to OCL for review. 

The District Negotiated Agreement - Member Verification report is only required from each independent library within a district that receives State Aid. 

  1. Log into Counting Opinions LibPAS.
  2. Select the "Begin Data Input" from the home screen. 
  3. Make sure that the reporting form selected is "District Negotiated Agreement - Member Verification."
  4. The default period is set to 2024-2025.
  5. Answer all questions, 1-8. 
    • Questions 1-6 are yes or no options only. 
    • Question 7 requires a district selection. 
    • Question 8 is the full name of the person submitting the form on behalf of the library. 
    • Below is an example of a filled-out report section. 
  6. Once each question has an answer, select the "Submit" button to finalize the member verification. 

Frequently asked questions will be added here as they are submitted. Questions may be submitted via email to ra-stateaid@pa.gov.