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State Aid Resources for Pennsylvania Public Libraries

Resource for reports, applications, and general information related to State Aid.

District Library Center Unexpended Funds

According to 22 Pa. Code § 141.13. Unexpended balances § 141.13. Unexpended balances, "State aid is intended for expenditure during the year covered by the library’s plan for its use, but if an unexpended balance does remain the library shall perform the following: (1) Indicate such unexpended balance of State funds within its financial report required under § 131.32 (relating to proof of eligibility). (2) Submit to the State Library for approval an amended plan for the use of these funds, or include such unexpended balance of State funds within its plan for the use of the next payment of State aid."

The District Negotiated Agreement is the plan for the use of district funds. 

Generally, the process will be as follows:

  1. Fill out and submit the District Library Center Unexpended Funds report in LibPAS.
    • The reporting form in LibPAS will only be available during that year's district negotiated agreements. 
  2. The district library center (DLC) will be notified via email from the Statewide Services Advisor if the report has been approved or rejected. 
    • If approval is provided, it is the responsibility of the district library center to maintain a record of the unexpended/carryover funds and report on them for the following fiscal year's DLC report. 
      • For example, if unexpended/carryover funds from FY 2023-2024 are approved for use in FY 2024-2025, those funds will need to be accounted for on the FY 2024-2025 DLC report. 

Unexpended/Carryover funds request should be made by the district administrator. 

  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 Library Center Unexpended Funds" report.
  4. The default period is set to the upcoming fiscal year (FY).
  5. First Section:
    • This section is where information is provided about the individual filling out the report.
      • This should all be the information of the person filling out the report. This information is used to contact the person in case there are clarifying questions as the report is reviewed. 
  6. District Library Center (DLC) Information:
    • 1 is prefilled, please email State Aid if changes are needed.
    • 2 is the name of the library that is designated as the district library center (DLC).
      • This should be a library name - not "Admin Unit" or "System".
    • 3-5 are questions asking for information about the current district administrator. 
      • If the position is currently vacant, put "VACANT" in the box. If there is an interim person, enter their information in the space with "(INTERIM)" at the end.
  7. Unexpended Funds:
    • 6 is the FY where the district funds were supposed to be spent. 
      • Format for the answer is "YYYY-YYYY".
    • 7 is the FY where the funds are going to be spent.  
      • Format for the answer is "YYYY-YYYY".
    • 8 is the amount of funds being asked to use in the next fiscal year. 
      • For example (for questions 6 - 8), if a district has $5000 they did not expend in the FY 2023-2024, and they are requesting to carry it over to FY 2024-2025, they would put 2023-2024 in question 6 and 2024-2025 in question 7 and then the $5000 would be put in question 8.
    • 9 is why the funds were unable to be expended in the year that the aid was provided. 
      • There should be an economic component to the reasoning. I.e. "saving" the funds for a vehicle is not a valid reason.
    • 10 is a text box where what the funds will be used for should be written. 
      • This should be a list or if a singular item, just that item. 
      • No specific dollar amounts should be listed in this section.
    • 11 is a text box where an explanation of how the use of the funds will benefit the district should be provided.
LibPAS Tips/Tricks/Info
  • By selecting the line item (selecting the link in LibPAS) 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.
  • Text answers must be written in the provided text box not as notes.