Revised LORI Standards And Regulations (2020)

[January 6, 2020] The revised Library of Rhode Island (LORI) Standards and Regulations (220-RICR-60-15-03) are in effect as of January 3, 2020. To remain eligible for library delivery and other resource sharing benefits provided by the Office of Library and Information Services, all public, school, academic, and special libraries that participate in the LORI network must comply with the new LORI Standards and Regulations. The revised Standards clarify requirements for participation in the LORI network.

Notable revisions to the Standards include:

• Additional and revised definitions (Section 3.2);
• Specific requirements for staffing libraries (Section 3.3(B)(1-6));
• Specific requirements for consistent hours of service (Section 3.3(D)(1-4));
• Streamlining the assignment of libraries’ responsibilities for LORI tasks (Section 3.3(I)(1-10));
• Listing required surveys to be completed by libraries (Section 3.3(I)(6)); and
• Clarifying the procedure for libraries to report perceived instances of other LORI libraries’ not complying with LORI Regulations (Section 3.5(B)).

Beginning in fiscal year 2021 OLIS is establishing a new time frame for LORI Certification, the process of certifying libraries as members of the LORI network. The new certification period will take place from mid-July through September. This change in the timeframe for LORI Certification provides time for libraries to come into compliance with the standards, as well as aligning certification with other OLIS data collection surveys and library calendars.  Complete details about the new time frame and requirements for LORI Certification are on the OLIS website.

The Library of Rhode Island (LORI) Standards and Regulations, 220-RICR-60-15-03, were approved by the Library Board of Rhode Island on June 17, 2019. Following inter-agency review and public comment, they became effective on January 3, 2020.