Public Library Standards: Acknowledgements

The Library Board of Rhode Island and the Office of Library and Information Services gratefully acknowledge the thoughtful and diligent work of the Board's Standards Review Committee. We also acknowledge the contributions of the participants in the two public stakeholder meetings, the online survey, and the public hearing. Their contributions created clear, measurable, and useful standards.



We are also grateful for the support of the Department of Administration Legal Services Division for its assistance in the process of preparing and filing state regulations.



The Minimum Standards and Regulations for Rhode Island Public Libraries were adopted by the Library Board of Rhode Island on June 17, 2013. They were filed with the Secretary of State's on July 16, 2013 (ERLID No. 7306), and went into effect on August 5, 2013.

Library Board of Rhode Island Standards Review Committee

  • Brigitte Hopkins, Chair (West Warwick Public Library)
  • Howard Boksenbaum (Office of Library and Information Services)
  • Aaron Coutu (Cumberland Public Library)
  • Donna Longo DiMichele (Office of Library and Information Services)
  • Ken Findlay (Library Board of Rhode Island)
  • Edward Garcia (Library Board of Rhode Island, Cranston Public Library)
  • Karen Mellor (Office of Library and Information Services)
  • Joan Ress Reeves (Library Board of Rhode Island)
  • Thomas Viall (Library Board of Rhode Island)

Library Board of Rhode Island 2013

The Library Board of Rhode Island is composed of residents of Rhode Island representing library users and libraries of all types. The Board is appointed by the Governor with advice and consent of the Senate. Per RI General Law 29-3.1-4.1, the Library Board sets policy, determines priorities, and approves standards and regulations for public library development and interlibrary cooperation upon advice from the Office of Library and Information Services and all those concerned with and affected by its determinations.

  • Thomas Viall, Chair, representing General Library Users
  • Kristen Chin, representing Librarians from Small Public Libraries
  • Monica Nazareth-Dzialo, representing Users of Talking Books Library
  • Ken Findlay, representing Librarians Serving Institutionalized Persons
  • Phyllis Humphrey, representing School Library Media Specialists
  • Edward Garcia, representing Economically Disadvantaged Users
  • Cristina M. Amedeo, representing General Library Users
  • Shirley Long, representing Librarians from Medium or Large Public Libraries
  • Phyllis Lynch, representing Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Louise Herrington-Bright, representing General Library Users
  • Rose Ellen Reynolds, representing General Library Users
  • Joan Retsinas, representing General Library Users
  • Joan Ress Reeves, representing Statewide Library Advocacy Group
  • Alison Davis Maxell, representing Corporate or Special Librarians
  • Robert H. Sloan, Jr, representing Public Library Trustees
  • Rosita E. Hopper, representing Academic Librarians