The Packet. Volume 20, Number 5.

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The Pa.ck^t
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Wilhe 20   Number 5
lississippi Library Commission
The Packet
Task Force submits
recommendations to Board
As taxpayers increase demands
on government to operate more
responsibly, the business of providing library service has become
increasingly difficult for state and
local authorities alike. That's why
the Mississippi Library Commission adopted a proven business
approach to problem solving and
assembled a special task force.
The Public Library Task
Force, which was appointed to
study and revise guidelines governing public libraries, has completed
the precedent-setting process and
forwarded recommendations to
the Board of Commissioners.
"The process of the Task
Force is itself an innovative approach to problem solving in state
government," Library Commission
Director David Woodburn said,
"The Public Library Task Force
combined the talents of thirty
librarians, library trustees, business leaders and lawmakers to
seek palatable solutions to out
dated laws and to clarify guidelines."
The resulting recommendations have been forwarded to the
Library Commission Board of
Commissioners who will consolidate the suggestions into a stra-
(continued on page 2)
U. S. Representative G. V.
"Sonny" Montgomery addresses
library issues from the federal
perspective at the Central Mississippi Regional Library System's
first anniversary celebration.
Montgomery encourages visits to
Washington for the discussion of
library issues. See related story
on page 5.
Libraries receive $256,000 in grant awards
Mississippi Library Commission Executive Director. David M. Woodburn has announced the
award of more than $256,000 in state and federal
grants to public libraries and library systems in
Mississippi.
"This amount includes state funds totaling
$150,000 that were appropriated by the Mississippi Legislature for library improvement projects,
" Woodburn said, "which we have combined with
another $106,694 in federal Library Services and
Construction Act funds." The combined state and
federal grants were awarded to 47 public libraries
and library systems.
State Library Improvement Grant funds were
based on the number of counties served by a library
and the population of that service area while the
federal funds were awarded on a competitive basis.
"Basically, the state Library Improvement
Grants can be granted for most any worthwhile library project except construction or salaries,"
Woodburn explained, "federal funds may be applied
to projects ti improve library programs and services,
provide technological development or serve disadvantaged areas.
Woodburn said an additional $43,269 in
(continued on page 8)