State Library of North Carolina - Library Services and Technology Act
Career Enrichment Program for 2007-2008

1. What is this program and its purpose?

The Career Enrichment Program funds North Carolina library staff’s participation in selected professional conferences, thus supporting the continuing education and career enrichment of individuals from eligible public, school, academic, special and state agency libraries and enabling recipients to provide improved services to the people of North Carolina. The State Library developed the program in response to numerous requests from library staff. After beginning as a pilot project in 2004-2005, it is now offered for the fourth year.

Reimbursement funds will be awarded to support library staff attendance at eleven conferences in 2007-2008:

Funds may be used to cover major expenses (i.e., conference registration, meals, lodging, transportation). The maximum reimbursement amount is $1,000, the minimum amount is $300, and a 10% match is required. The federal government considers an award of $600 or more to be taxable income (see #8 and #10 below for more information).

2. Who may apply?

This program is open to individuals who:

• Did NOT receive a Career Enrichment award in 2004-2005, 2005-2006 or 2006-2007;AND
• Are full- or part-time, paid library staff (Friends, trustees, and volunteers are not eligible);AND
• Are employed by any of the following eligible North Carolina libraries:
  • public libraries that qualify for grants from the Aid to Public Libraries Fund;
  • community college libraries;
  • libraries serving the constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina (which includes libraries serving the Area Health Education Centers and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics);
  • libraries serving the member institutions of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities;
  • public schools with a qualified school library media center*;
  • qualifying state agency libraries*;
  • qualifying special libraries*.

  *To be eligible for LSTA funds, a library must meet these basic requirements:

  • be at least 51% publicly funded, or not-for-profit;
  • be headed by a trained library professional (school libraries must be headed by a full-time certified school media coordinator; all other libraries must
  • be headed by a person with an MLS);
  • have a cataloged collection of information resources, designated space, a materials budget, and be open a minimum of 20 hours per week.

Additional requirements exist based on the type of library. See the Library Services and Technology Act Plan for Implementation in North Carolina 2003-2007 (pdf) , pages III-2 through III-5, for more information.

Not sure if your library is eligible? Contact Library Development, State Library of North Carolina (919-807-7417 or jeffrey.hamilton@ncdcr.gov).

3. What amount of funds may be requested?

The maximum amount is $1,000; the minimum amount is $300.

4. Are local matching funds required?

Yes, a 10% match is required. The library and/or the individual may provide the match.

The local match must equal a minimum of 10% of the federal funds requested. The match is a 1 to 10 ratio of matching funds to award funds. For an award request of $1,000, the local match must be at least $100, which would bring the total to $1,100
($1,000 award funds + $100 local funds = $1,100 total expected costs).

Matching funds may only be spent for the same categories of allowable expenses as the award funds with two exceptions (each of which requires documentation):

• Paying a substitute staff member if required for the individual to attend
• Costs associated with using an institutional car (e.g. library, county, etc.) for travel

5. How may funds be used?

Allowable expenditures that will be reimbursed include:

• Conference registration, pre-conference, or post-conference session
• One-year membership dues for new members if total cost of new membership dues + conference registration does not exceed the cost of non-member registration
• Hotel ($120/night in-state maximum, + taxes and fees; $150/night out-of-state maximum, + taxes and fees)
• Meals (allowance is $35/day)
• Mileage at state rates; as of July 2007, the rate is $.25/mile 
• Travel, including airfare, train fare, taxis, rental car, other ground transportation, parking (for each receipt that exceeds $10.00)

Allowable as MATCH ONLY:

• Salary for substitute staff; documentation will be required
• Institutional car (e.g. library, county) used for travel; documentation will be required

Ineligible expenses:

• Certain expenditures are either inappropriate for this program or not allowed under federal regulations. Neither award nor matching funds may be used for the following expenditures:
• Any programs other than the conference, pre-conference, or post-conference sessions
• Entertainment or recreational activities associated with the conference such as local tours, banquets, concerts, etc.
• Renewal of membership
• Tips/gratuities
• Equipment
• Supplies
• Shipping of materials
• Internet access in hotel or elsewhere
• Any expense not approved in the recipient’s award

6. What is the review process?

• To be eligible for review, online applications and supplemental documents must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the application due date.
• Only complete applications from eligible individuals will be reviewed.
• State Library staff will evaluate eligible applications according to the program criteria.
• No appeals of funding decisions will be considered.
• All applicants will receive individual notification.

7. What is the basis for selecting applicants for funding?

$75,000 is available for this project in 2007-2008. One-third of this total will be allocated for each cycle. Any funds not disbursed for Cycle 1 or Cycle 2 will be carried over and applied to Cycle 3. 

In order to be considered, applications must be submitted by the due date, be complete, and contain a clear and accurate budget.

Applications will be prioritized as follows: 

• High priority: applicants who will attend this conference for the first time AND who will attend more than one day of the conference.
• Medium priority: applicants who have not attended the conference in the previous three years AND who will attend more than one day of the conference.
• Low priority: applicants who have attended the conference in the previous three years OR who will attend only one day of the conference. 

If funds are sufficient, all eligible applications will be funded. If not, the following process will be used to award the funds:

• First, all applicants in the high priority group will be considered. If there is not enough money to fully fund the high priority group, a lottery system will be used to award the funds.
• If funds remain after the high priority group is funded, then all applicants in the medium priority group will be considered. If there is not enough money to fully fund the medium priority group, a lottery system will be used to award the funds.
• If funds remain after the medium priority group is funded, then all applicants in the low priority group will be considered. If there is not enough money to fully fund the low priority group, a lottery system will be used to award the funds.

8. How are award payments disbursed?

• Individuals pay all expenses out-of-pocket and will be reimbursed in one payment after returning from the conference. Reimbursements are for approved, actual, documented expenses and will not exceed the approved amount, even if actual expenses are greater.
• Receipts are required for registration, hotel, airfare, train fare, rental car, taxi, other ground transportation, parking, salary for substitute staff, and use of an institutional car. Receipts are not required for meals.
• Individuals must submit their request for reimbursement accompanied by a brief report (see #9) within 30 days of attending the conference.
• Costs will be reimbursed following State of North Carolina guidelines. 
• To receive reimbursement each recipient must provide a completed IRS Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification), which is kept on file by the Department of Cultural Resources (DCR).
• Payments of $600 or more will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service on IRS Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income. The IRS considers this payment to be taxable income.
• Award recipients will receive a reimbursement check approximately four weeks after submitting a complete reimbursement packet.

9. What reports must award recipients make?

As part of the evaluation process for this program, all award recipients must complete a report and a brief follow-up survey. The report, along with the reimbursement request, will be due to the State Library within 30 days of attending the conference. The report will focus on conference sessions attended and impacts of the conference on job performance and on service to library patrons. The State Library will provide recipients with forms for their reimbursement request and report.

Three months after submitting the report, each recipient will receive an electronic survey asking a few follow-up questions designed to learn how attendance at the conference made a difference to the recipient.

10. What else do applicants need to know?

• The Internal Revenue Service considers award payments to individuals of $600 or more to be taxable income as reported via the IRS 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income form.
• Applicants may pay registration fees and/or make plane reservations prior to learning whether they have been awarded funding, however, only those who are selected for funding will be reimbursed.

11. Program timeline:

The State Library staff will accept and review applications in the three cycles detailed at http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lsta/career_enrich.htm.

12. Where do I apply?

The form is available at http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lsta/career_enrich.htm. (If you encounter any problems using this form, contact Jeffrey Hamilton at 919-807-7417 or jeffrey.hamilton@ncdcr.gov.)

In addition to submitting the online application form, the following supplemental documents must be received on or before the application deadline. Faxed documents are acceptable.

• Signature page (all applicants); this page should be attached to the confirmation email after submitting an online application.
• Eligibility certification (only K-12, state agency, and special library applicants); available at http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lsta/appendixbcd.doc.

The online application, with supporting documents, must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the application deadline to be eligible for consideration.

13. For further information:

Contact Jeffrey Hamilton at 919-807-7417 or jeffrey.hamilton@ncdcr.gov.

Questions or comments should be directed to the Contact us form.

JWH Last updated April 16, 2008
URL:http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lsta/ceprogram07.htm