The Blair County Library System is seeking a consultant to review and revise our system member agreement and funding formulas. Please see the attached RFP for a description of the project and directions for submitting a proposal. The deadline for proposal submission is June 19, 2026. If you have any questions, please send them to bcl@blaircountylibraries.org.

Project Overview:

BCLS is seeking to hire a consultant to analyze the current agreement and funding formulas for County and State Aid, make recommendations for improvements, draft a new agreement, and prepare several options of funding formulas for consideration. The consultant should have strong knowledge of PA Public Library Statute and Regulations. The current system member agreement has not been updated since 1980. The agreement does not adequately address the need for member libraries to meet the minimum standards for PA public library systems receiving State Aid. Additionally, the agreement does not specify corrective actions or include provisions for membership termination due to failure to meet requirements. As a federated system, locally derived funds remain in each library but state and county funds are distributed by formula. The current formula for state funds was established by the System Board in 1982 and was developed in an effort to maintain a stable flow of funds, to distribute funds in an equitable manner, to encourage local government allocations, and to increase local fund raising efforts. The current State Aid funding formula comprises a flat rate amount, an amount based on local financial effort, and a portion based on service area population. The county aid funding formula is largely based on the service area population. New funding formulas for both county aid and state aid distributions should uphold the guiding principles of stability, consistency, and fairness.

Qualifications:

● Familiarity with and appreciation for the mission of public libraries.

● Knowledge of:

○ Pennsylvania public library structures, especially federated library systems

○ PA Public Library Code and regulations

● Capability of presenting recommendations and supporting information with objectivity and clarity.

Please email bcl@blaircountylibraries.org to request the full RFP.