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Your eligibility for E-rate is determined by your eligibility for LSTA

Your eligibility for E-rate is determined by your eligibility for LSTA

According to the Library Services and Technology Act, (20 USC Sec. 9101-9176, Ch. 72 Museum and Library Services), Subch. II, Sec. 9122, the term ‘library’ includes: 

  •  a public library;
  • a public elementary school or secondary school library;
  • an academic library;
  • a research library that:
    • makes publicly available library services and materials suitable for scholarly research and not otherwise available to the public; and
    • is not an integral part of an institution of higher education; an
  • a private library, or other special library, but only if the State in which such private or special library is located determines that the library should be considered a library for purposes of this subchapter.

 For purposes of LSTA, the State Library has discretion with regard to the eligibility of applicants.

 In order to be eligible, a library must:

  1. have one or more paid library staff;
  2. have a regular schedule of library service;
  3. have a dedicated facility for library purposes;
  4. have an annual budget with funds reserved for library materials and services;
  5. have a record of multitype library cooperation, evidenced by activities such as union listing of holdings, reciprocal borrowing or interlibrary loan; and,
  6. if a "public library,” be "lawfully established" for purposes of the State Aid to Public Libraries Act and meet all eligibility requirements for receiving state aid. 

In addition, library cooperatives established under P.A. 89 of 1977, Regions of Cooperation (ROCs), Regional Educational Media Centers (REMCs), and Intermediate School Districts (ISDs), may apply on behalf of their members for a centrally administered project that will benefit multiple library locations. A library system with multiple branches or a school district with more than one school library media center may choose to apply on behalf of an individual branch, selected branches, or the system as a whole. Non-profit associations or organizations that are committed primarily to resource sharing and/or the advancement of statewide or regional library services also are eligible to apply for grant funds. Charter school libraries are eligible within the public school category, if the charter school has been approved by the state of Michigan.