Summary of Criteria for Membership in the
Texas State Library System

Population Served: 200,001 and over

• Per Capita Support: $2.80
• Materials Collection: one item of library materials per capita or expend 25% on library materials
• Hours of Access: not less than 64 hours per week
• Staff: six professional full-time librarians and one additional full-time librarian for every 50,000 persons served

Population Served: 100,001 - 200,000

• Per Capita Support: $2.40
• Materials Collection: one item of library materials per capita or expend at least 25% of local expenditures on purchase of library materials
• Hours of Access: not less than 54 hours per week
• Staff: four professional full-time librarians and one additional full-time librarian for every 50,000 persons served

Population Served: 50,001 - 100,000

• Per Capita Support: $2.20
• Materials Collection: one item of library materials per capita or expend at least 25% of local expenditures on purchase of library materials
• Hours of Access: not less than 48 hours per week
• Staff: at least two professional full-time librarians

Population Served: 25,001 - 50,000

• Per Capita Support: $1.80
• Materials Collection: one item of library materials per capita or expend at least 25% of local expenditures on library materials
• Hours of Access: not less than 40 hours per week
• Staff: at least one professional full-time librarian

Population Served: 10,001 - 25,000

• Per Capita Support: $1.50
• Materials Collection: one item of library materials per capita or expend at least 25% of local expenditures on purchase of library materials; MUST HAVE MINIMUM of 7,500 materials
• Hours of Access: not less than 30 hours per week
• Staff: have a head librarian who is employed in library duties at least 30 hours per week

Population Served: 10,000 or less

• Per Capita Support: $1.20 or $5,000 whichever is greater
• Materials Collection: one item of library materials per capita or expend at least 25% of local expenditures on purchase of library materials; MUST HAVE MINIMUM of 7,500 materials
• Hours of Access: not less than 20 hours per week
• Staff: have a head librarian who is employed in library duties at least 20 hours per week

return to top