Accreditation & Standards

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Accreditation & Standards
Federally Funded
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About Accreditation & Standards

The Accreditation and Standards program supports the development of high-quality libraries in Iowa. The State Library established this program to:

  • Give public libraries a tool to identify strengths and areas for improvement
  • Document the condition of public library service in Iowa
  • Create a formula to distribute Direct State Aid funding

Iowa code requires the State Library to manage a Standards program. The current handbook for the program is In Service to Iowa: Public Library Standards.

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Access the Current Standards

Closeup of hands on a desktop holding a printed copy of In Service to Iowa: Public Library Standards.
Publication

In Service to Iowa: Public Library Standards, 6th Edition

The link opens a PDF version of the manual. This document may be updated on a frequent basis, and was updated on 11/8/2024. Please discard all previous drafts or editions.

Download the Standards (PDF)
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Achieving Library Tier Status or Accreditation

Each standard included in In Service to Iowa corresponds to a Tier Status:

  • A Tier 1 library meets at least 29 specified Standards.
  • A Tier 2 library meets at least 41 specified Standards.
  • A Tier 3 library is considered fully accredited, meeting at least 67 Standards.

A library unable to meet all Tier 1 requirements will be considered Tier 0 regardless of how many Tier 2 or Tier 3 standards are met, and will not be eligible for Direct State Aid funding. 

Accreditation certificates are issued by the State Library in June of each year. Accreditation is valid for three years.

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FY26 Accreditation Deferment

On Oct. 15, 2024 the State Library announced a one-year deferment of Accreditation and Tier Status applications for FY26 due to a staff retirement. This means that all libraries will have one extra year added to their cycle. The new end date for each library is reflected in the Accreditation and Tier Status List.

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Accreditation Resources

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Video Series: Prepping for Accreditation

Watch this series of seven videos to prepare for submitting an Accreditation Application for the first time, or review topics ahead of renewal.

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ADA Checklists for Existing Facilities

Standard 80 states: The library board and director shall review at least one of the four priorities from the ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities at least every three years. To meet this standard:

  • The library board must review at least one of the four priority checklists
  • The board review date of at least one of the four priority checklists must be February 1, 2022 or later
  • The library must submit a completed copy of at least one of four priority checklists to the State Library

Download a PDF of each checklist below. Complete the checklist, then scan and upload the completed checklist with the supporting documentation for your library's Accreditation Application. 

Institute of Museum and Library Services logo

Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services

This program or resource is made possible in part by the IMLS under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of Iowa.

Find out more about Federal LSTA funding
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