Community Library Enhancement Fund (CLEF)
Overview
The Utah State Library Division (USL) has legal authority to set standards for public libraries (UCA 9-7-205). The Standards for Utah Public Libraries present minimum levels of effort required by public libraries in order to receive certain services and grants from USL.
Eligible Libraries
The Standards further require that libraries meet additional governance, funding, access, personnel, resources, technology, facilities, marketing, administration, and advocacy requirements. All Utah public libraries that fulfill the requirements for State Library Certification are eligible for an annual Community Library Enhancement Fund (CLEF) Payment (formerly Public Library Development Grant).
Grants awards schedule
Community Library Enhancement Funds are calculated for all qualified and certified public libraries following the State Legislature session and are awarded at the beginning of the next calendar year. CLEF payments are based on a formula which takes into account the population the library serves, the wealth of the community, and the financial effort the local government is making to support library services.
Allowed Uses
Community Library Enhancement Funds may be used for the following three areas:
- Collection Development (such as children's materials, video materials, online resources, materials in another language, special new collections, enhanced current collections)
- Technology That Directly Affects The Public (such as public access computing, library catalogs, online resources, technology training, wifi)
- Community Outreach (such as services for seniors, teens, migrants, head starts, outreach to those who don't use the library)
In addition, USL will require more specific reporting on the outcome of the above expenditures. The reason for these changes is the need to provide more measurable results that will affirm CLEF’s value to the legislature and taxpayers. It is important to use these dollars to support services that benefit as many people as possible.
Local Government Support (Maintenance of Effort)
Local governments must provide funding for public libraries. To be eligible for the current fiscal year CLEF payment, the jurisdiction must comply with maintenance of effort funding support for the library. The jurisdiction must expend an amount not less than 90% of the amount actually expended on the library in the second preceding fiscal year, exclusive of capital outlay.
Reporting
Recipients are required to complete an online report of expenditures under this grant by August 15 of every year. Click here to enter your report using Bibliostat Collect.
- CLEF Report Blank Form | PDF
- CLEF Report Instructions | PDF
- Use the American FactFinder (US Census) to calculate Total People Served
In the QUICK START box
type the table name "Single Years of Age and Sex: 2010"
then type your location, for example "Tooele City, Utah" or "Grand County, Utah"
click GO
In the SEARCH RESULTS box click on the "Single Years of Age and Sex: 2010" link
For more information or assistance contact:
Sara Wever
Grants Coordinator
801-715-6732
800-662-5540 x732 (Utah toll-free)
swever@utah.gov