LINCOLN TRAIL LIBRARIES SYSTEM

AFFILIATE AGENCY POLICY

Approved February 22, 1993

Revised ?

The Lincoln Trail Libraries System Strategic Plan includes a strategic direction to expand and optimize core information services through partnerships with public and private agencies. Partnerships with public and private agencies are essential in todayπs society to meet information and educational needs. To accomplish this strategic direction, LTLS has adopted an "Affiliate Agency" designation.

An Affiliate Agency is defined as any agency that offers resources, content, or services that can be collaboratively shared to benefit citizens or library staff. Affiliate Agency examples include a library that does not qualify for membership in Lincoln Trail, a government organization, a museum, a virtual content provider, or a local community group.

The purpose of this designation is to identify unique cooperative ventures that benefit the System and its members, as well as to further the goals of each agency through partnerships. The System's relationship with each Affiliate Agency, by the nature of this policy's intent, will be determined on a case by case basis.

Examples of cooperative activities between Affiliates and the System include, but are not limited to, the following:

Ä Sharing membership lists, publications, web-based information, and staff expertise ;

Ä Publicizing appropriate events and services to each others' members;

Ä Co-sponsoring continuing education events and/or negotiating discounts for attendance at each others' conferences, etc.;

Ä Working with affiliates to organize or archive content;

Ä Identifying and offering designated services at member fees;

Ä Developing a special service of common interest to benefit both LTLS members and the Affiliate Agency.

Organizations that enter into an Affiliate Agency designation will:

Ä Designate a primary contact person for Affiliate Information Agency communication and interaction with the System;

Ä Provide information that identifies the organizationπs governing authority and describes the mission of the agency as well as its scope of activities and the population served by these activities.

Ä Sign, in cooperation with Lincoln Trail, a document outlining the intent and scope of specific jointly-agreed upon cooperative activities unique to the Agency and the System. This document will be reviewed every 5 years by the System and the agency to determine if the Affiliate designation should continue.

Ä Annually update Affiliate Agency information.

Lincoln Trail Libraries System will designate a staff person as primary contact for each Affiliate Agency.

Affiliate Agency status does not qualify an agency or institution for:

Ä Illinois Library and Information Network (ILLINET) membership privileges;

Ä extensive LTLS staff consulting on library development issues;

Ä regular System van delivery service.