Grants and Reimbursements for Connecticut Libraries

Each of the 165 principal public libraries in the state that meets the eligibility requirements may apply for and receive an annual state aid grant. A principal public library is one which has been so designated by the local municipal governing board. A municipality may have more than one public library but may designate only one library as its principal public library.

Grant Expenditure Statutory Requirements

State aid funds must be used for general library purposes, which is defined in the state statutes as all functions of a public library, including the purchase of land or the construction, alteration or remodeling of buildings. In addition, state aid funds must be expended within two years of receipt, unless a library has received authority to carry over funds beyond the two year limit. For municipal libraries that need to make this known to their town or city may use the Memo to Municipal Fiscal Officers (PDF available below).

Statutory References

Conn. General Statutes (CGS) 11-24a.
Annual Support for a Lifetime of Learning: State Grants to Public Libraries Triennial Report (PDF available in State Aid Documents)

Funding Source
State: General Fund

AENGLC Rating

AENGLC is defined as a combination of property tax base per person and income per person. Property tax base is used because it is the form of wealth taxed by Connecticut's towns. Per Capita Income (PCI) is used because the income from which taxes are paid has an important effect on town taxing capacity. ENGL is the Equalized Net Grand List which represents the value of taxable real and personal property (net grand list) at 100 percent fair market value.

Refer to Related Resources for various data elements used in the AENGLC calculation and calculation formula.

The latest state reimbursement percentages are available at http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/dgm/grantreports1/ReimbPercSelect.aspx

Amount of Funds Available:

FY2025 State Budget allocated $225,000
FY2024 State Budget allocated $225,000
FY2023 No funding.
FY2022 No funding.
FY2021 No funding.
FY2020 No funding.
FY2019 No funding.
FY2018 No funding.
FY2017 State Budget allocated $193,391 (rescinded to $0 in May 2016).
FY2016 State Budget allocated $190,846 (rescinded to $179,396).
FY2015 State Budget allocated $203,569 (rescinded to $193,391).
FY2014 State Budget allocated $203,569.
FY2013 State Budget allocated $203,569.
FY2012 State Budget allocated $207,692.
FY2011 State Budget allocated $347,109.

In order to be eligible, all public libraries in the state of Connecticut which:

• Submit a copy of their Collection Development Policy along with a copy of the board minutes adopting this policy

• Complete and submit each year the Annual Report of Connecticut Public Libraries

Principal public library collection development/management policies will be evaluated for compliance by the following rubric:

• Does the library have a Collection Development or Collection Management Policy? 

• Was the policy approved by the Library Board? 

• What was the date the policy or latest revision was approved? Policies older than 2018 will not be accepted.

• Were the minutes to the meeting when the policy was approved by the Library Board provided? 

• Does the library have the policy posted on their website? 

• Does the library have a challenge process in place? 

• Does the library have a challenge form posted on their website? 

• Did the library complete the State Library Annual Report as required? 

The formula for determining grant amounts is included in the state statutes. It provides for a base grant of $1,200 to each library, plus additional amounts for equalization based on town AENGLC (Adjusted Equalized Net Grand List Per Capita) rankings and for incentive based on each town's per capita library expenditures.  If the funding available is less than $1,200 per library, the funds will be divided evenly between all eligible libraries.  Libraries officially serving more than one municipality will receive payment for each municipality served.

Key Dates

By August 1 - The State Library provides each public library with an Annual Statistical Report and Application for Payment of a State Grant form.
By October 1 - Reports must be completed by libraries.
By December 15 - Requests for ineligibility waiver are due.
By April 30 - Libraries should receive state aid payments.
By October 31st of following year, libraries will be required to report how they spent the funds

Sec. 2. Section 11-24b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):

(a) [Each] Except as otherwise provided in subsection (i) of this section, each principal public library, as defined in section 11-24a, shall be eligible to receive a state grant in accordance with the provisions of subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this section provided the following requirements are met:

1. An annual statistical report which includes certification that the grant, when received, shall be used for library purposes is filed with the State Library Board in such manner as the board may require. The report shall include information concerning local library governance, hours of service, type of facilities, library policies, resources, programs and services  available,  measurement  of  levels  of  services  provided, personnel and fiscal information concerning library receipts and expenditures;

2. Documents certifying the legal establishment of the principal public library in accordance with the provisions of section 11-20 are filed with the board;
3. The library is a participating library in the Connecticard program established pursuant to section 11-31b;
4. Except for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2010, to June 30, 2015, inclusive, the principal public library shall not have had the amount of its annual tax levy or appropriation reduced to an amount which is less than the average amount levied or appropriated for the library for the three fiscal years immediately preceding the year of the grant, except that if the expenditures of the library in any one year in such three-year period are unusually high as compared with expenditures in the other two years, the library may request an exception to this requirement and the board, upon review of the expenditures for that year, may grant an exception;
5. State grant funds shall be expended within two years of the date of receipt of such funds. If the funds are not expended in that period, the library shall submit a plan to the State Librarian for the expenditure of any unspent balance;
6. Principal public libraries shall not charge individuals residing in the town in which the library is located or the town in which the contract library is located for borrowing and lending library materials, accessing information, advice and assistance and programs and services which promote literacy; and
7. Principal public libraries shall provide equal access to library service for all individuals and shall not discriminate upon the basis of age, race, sex, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, handicap or place of residency in the town in which the library is located or the town in which the contract library is located.

2. Within the limits of amounts appropriated, the amount each principal public library shall be eligible to receive annually as a state grant shall be determined by the State Library Board as follows:
   1. Principal public libraries, as defined in section 11-24a, shall receive a base grant of one thousand two hundred dollars for each fiscal year.
   2. Of the amount appropriated for purposes of this section less the amount distributed as base grants, sixty per cent shall be set aside and paid to principal public libraries pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.
   3. Of the amount appropriated for purposes of this section less the amount distributed as base grants, forty per cent shall be set aside and paid to principal public libraries pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.
3. The principal public library for each town shall be eligible to receive an equalization grant in an amount determined as follows:
   1. The adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as defined in subsection (a) of section 10-261, for all towns in the state shall be ranked from highest to lowest.
   2. The adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as ranked for all towns in the state from highest to lowest shall be divided into the following four classes: Class A, towns ranked from one to forty-two, inclusive; class B, towns ranked from forty-three to eighty-four, inclusive; class C, towns ranked from eighty-five to one hundred twenty-six, inclusive; and, class D, towns ranked from one hundred twenty-seven to one hundred sixty-nine, inclusive. Funds available for purposes of this subsection pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section shall be distributed among the four classes so that principal public libraries for class B, C, and D towns, respectively, shall receive two times, three times and four times as much on a per capita basis as principal public libraries for class A towns.

3. 3. Grants to the principal public library for each town shall be determined as follows: Said funds available for purposes of this subsection shall be multiplied by the per cent of funds for each class to determine an appropriation per class; the appropriation per class shall be divided by the total population per class to determine an amount per capita; the grant for the principal public library for each town shall be the town's total population multiplied by the amount per capita. For purposes of this subdivision, "total population" of a town means that enumerated in the most recent federal decennial census of population.
4. The principal public library for each town shall be eligible to receive an incentive grant in an amount to be determined as follows:
   3. The State Library Board shall, in such manner as prescribed by the board, determine for each fiscal year, a state-wide average for per capita library expenditures and each town's individual per capita library expenditure based on the annual statistical report filed in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.
   4. The per capita library expenditure of each town shall be ranked from highest to lowest and the ranked expenditures shall be divided into the following classes: Class A, towns which meet or exceed the state-wide average for per capita library expenditures; class B, towns which meet seventy-five to ninety-nine per cent, inclusive, of the state- wide average; class C, towns which meet fifty to seventy-four per cent, inclusive, of the state-wide average; and, class D, towns which fall below fifty per cent of the state-wide average. Funds available for purposes of this subsection pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section shall be distributed among the four classes so that principal public libraries for class A and B towns, respectively, shall receive three times and two times as much on a per capita basis as principal public libraries for class C towns.

4. 3. Grants to the principal public library for each town shall be determined as follows: Said funds available for purposes of this subsection shall be multiplied by the per cent of funds per class to determine an appropriation per class; the appropriation per class shall be divided by the total population per class to determine an amount per capita; the grant for the principal public library for each town shall be the town's total population multiplied by the amount per capita. For purposes of this subdivision, "total population" of a town means that enumerated in the most recent federal decennial census of population.
5. Application for grants under this section shall be made to the State Library Board in such form and at such time as the board designates. The grant may be used for general library purposes and no portion of the grant money shall revert to the general fund of the town or towns normally served by such library.
6. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall make available, upon the request of the State Library Board, such information as is needed by the board to determine grant payments in accordance with the provisions of subsections (c) and (d) of this section.
7. The State Library Board shall report triennially to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education on the impact of the state grants distributed pursuant to this section.
8. The State Library Board shall, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this section.
1. No principal public library shall be eligible to receive a state grant in accordance with the provisions of subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this section if such principal public library does not maintain and adhere to collection development, collection management and collection reconsideration policies that have been approved by the governing body of such library. Such collection reconsideration policy shall offer residents a clear process to request a reconsideration of library materials. In the instance of a book challenge, these policies shall govern.