Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 11, June 11, 2024
Section 4.5.10.13 - GRANTS FOR DEVELOPING RURAL LIBRARIES AND ESTABLISHED RURAL LIBRARIESGrants for developing rural libraries and established rural libraries under the rural libraries grant program shall be those grants awarded pursuant to Subsection A of Section 18-18-2 NMSA 1978. When sufficient funding is available, as determined by the state librarian, to offer rural library program grants under this section, the state librarian shall issue an official rural library program grant announcement and provide the grant guidelines.
A. CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS FOR DEVELOPING LIBRARIES UNDER THE RURAL LIBRARY GRANT PROGRAM: Receipt of a rural libraries program grant under this section shall not exclude eligibility for an award under the state grants in aid grant program established in 4.5.2 NMAC. The state library shall award developing rural libraries a grant where the developing rural library has met, or exceeded, the following criteria:(1) timely submission of an annual report to the state library;(2) continuous operation for at least nine months;(3) maintenance of adequate financial and other records to support the library's eligibility for receiving library grants; the state library may audit such records annually, or as needed, as determined in the state library's sole discretion;(4) compliance with all state statutes and rules;(5) compliance with requirements for developing rural library grants;(6) employment of a designated director;(7) creation of a library board that meets at least two times a year and adheres to the state's open meetings law;(8) successful expenditure of all developing rural library grant funds during the prior fiscal year, if applicable.B. CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS TO ESTABLISHED RURAL LIBRARIES UNDER THE RURAL LIBRARY GRANT PROGRAM. Receipt of a rural libraries grant under this section shall not exclude eligibility for an award under the state grants in aid grant program established in 4.5.2 NMAC. The state library shall award established rural libraries a rural library program grant where an established rural library has met, or exceeded, the following criteria: (1) timely submission of an annual report with the state library for the current year and a minimum of two years prior;(2) continuous operation for at least one year;(3) receipt of a minimum of three consecutive developing rural library grants;(4) demonstration of receipt of financial support from sources other than the state; in particular, matching funds in relation to the population of the library's legal service area shall be at least $1.50 per person;(5) maintenance of adequate financial and other records to support the library's eligibility for receiving library grants; the state library may audit such records annually, or as needed, as determined in the state library's sole discretion;(6) compliance with all state statutes and rules;(7) compliance with requirements for library grants for established rural libraries;(8) formation of a strategic plan that the public library reviews, updates, and files with the state library every five years, and a community analysis and needs assessment, and a collection development policy that the public library reviews, updates, and files with the state library every five years;(9) maintain a library board that meets at least two times a year and adheres to the state open meetings law;(10) employment of a designated director;(11) successful expenditure of all public library grant funds during the prior fiscal year.C. DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS: The state library division shall distribute grants in the following manner: (1) Application: The annual report submitted for the immediate prior year shall serve as the developing or established public library's application.(2) Allocation: The state library shall award one share of the allocation to each established rural library and each developing rural library.(3) Notification: After annual reports are submitted, the state library shall calculate the grant award for each library in accordance with paragraph (2) above. The state library shall notify all eligible public libraries informing them of the amount of their grant.(4) Request for payment: Each library shall return the signed grant agreement to the state library within 60 days of receipt of the agreement measured from the postmark or electronic postmark. Upon timely receipt of the grant agreement, the state library shall process a payment request form. If a library does not submit the grant agreement within the required time period, it forfeits the grant award.(5) Maintenance of effort: A grant recipient's local government funding sources shall not be reduced as a result of the grant recipient's receipt of a rural library program grant or funding for specialized services. Upon demonstrated evidence that such a reduction has occurred, the grant recipient shall be ineligible to receive a rural library program grant or funding for specialized services for one year after the reduction occurs.Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXIII, Issue 22, November 29, 2022, eff. 1/1/2023