Acronyms
Library Acronyms & Terms
Important terms you may hear!
Note: You should not use the acronyms in conversation with non-library people (legislators) when advocating.
ACHF (aka Legacy)- Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Regional public library systems receive funding from the Legislature to support arts, arts education and arts access, and to preserve Minnesota's history and cultural heritage.
CRPLSA-Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators. Consists of the directors of the 12 regional public library systems.
ELM-eLibrary Minnesota. A collection of research and information databases available to all Minnesota residents. A program of Minitex.
E-Rate-A program provided by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) that provides discounts to assist public libraries and schools to obtain affordable telecommunications and internet access.
IMLS-Institute of Museums and Library Service is an independent grantmaking agency and the primary source of federal support for libraries, including LSTA grants.
ITEM-Information & Technology Educators of Minnesota. The professional association for school library media specialists, technology coordinators and specialists, technology integrationists, and others interested in application of information and technology to learning.
LGA-Local Government Aid. General purpose aid to cities.
LSTA-The federal Library Services and Technology Act authorizes the Grants to States program, which distributes federal funds to State Library Administrative Agencies through the IMLS.
MDL-Minnesota Digital Library. A service of Minitex, funded by ACHF via the Minnesota Historical Society
Minitex- a program of the Minnesota Higher Education Office with the mission of facilitating resource sharing among libraries and reducing the cost of providing access to information for residents throughout MN, ND and SD.
MNLINK- A statewide system, administered by Minitex, that serves as a discovery and interlibrary loan interface for library patrons and staff.
Multitype/MCMT-Multicounty Multitype Library Systems facilitate cooperation among academic, public, school, and special libraries. Multicounty, multitype library systems receive a biennial legislative appropriation that is disbursed on a formula allocation.
RLBSS- Regional Library Basic System Support. Provides state aid to the twelve regional public library systems to benefit Minnesotans through the provision of interlibrary resource sharing programs, shared automation, and coordinated services to member libraries.
RLTA- Regional Library Telecommunications Aid. Provides state aid to the twelve regional public library systems to equalize data and video access costs and other related costs to improve or maintain electronic access of participating public libraries to the state information infrastructure and to facilitate resource sharing.
SLS- State Library Services. Minnesota's state library agency, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education. State Library Services administers federal grant, state aid, and state grant programs.
ALS-Arrowhead Library System
ECRL-East Central Regional Library
GRRL-Great River Regional Library
KRLS-Kitchigami Regional Library System
LARL-Lake Agassiz Regional Library
MELSA-Metropolitan Library Service Agency
NWRL-Northwest Regional Library
PLS-Pioneerland Library System
PCLS-Plum Creek Library System
SELCO-Southeastern Libraries Cooperating
TdS-Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative
VLS-Viking Library System
ALS-Arrowhead Library System (a combined multicounty, multitype and regional public library system)
CMLE-Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange
Metronet
NLLN-Northern Lights Library Network
Prairielands Library Exchange- Formerly SAMMIE (Southwest Area Multicounty, Multitype Interlibrary Exchange)
SELS-Southeast Library System (affiliated with the SELCO regional public library system)
TdS-Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative (a combined multicounty, multitype and regional public library system)