​What is the Wayne Library Alliance (WLA)?

The Wayne Library Alliance (WLA) is a "federated library system". A federated library system is a central organization created to manage and coordinate operations and services between independent libraries for financial support in the form of money, library materials, personnel or services for the benefit of their patrons. The WLA federated library system includes the seven member libraries of Wayne County cooperating together as members under the WLA "umbrella" to improve library services and to ensure resources are accessible to all library patrons in Wayne County.

​What The WLA Provides For Its Member Libraries

The WLA is entirely dependent upon state and county funds (40%) and donations (60%) to provide services for our member libraries and their patrons. While the state and county funds have remained the same, our expenses continue to increase, which accounts for our increased need for donations every year. Here is a list of just some of the services the WLA provides, available to each system member library:

Library Services:

• The services of the ICL Driver (between the member libraries) and the Pike/Wayne driver (between Pike county libraries and the Wayne member libraries).
• Access to the SPARK library collection catalog system for each library's functionality such as cataloging materials, checking in/out materials, managing holds, etc.

Online Services (Website, Email, Social Media):

• Each member library gets as many pages as it needs on the WLA's (this) web site, and when provided to the WLA, the library's information is continually updated and posted to the website by the WLA staff.
• Member libraries get access to the WLA’s Google email service, each member library gets as many email addresses as it needs, all with the professional WLA’s waynelibraries.org domain name. Email administration is handled by the WLA staff.
• Access to the WLA’s website calendar where each member library can post their own library events
• When provided to the WLA, member library’s events/flyers are posted to the WLA’s Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter social media pages by the WLA staff
• The ability for member library patrons to search the SPARK catalog online through the WLA website
• The ability for memer library patrons to make credit card donations to each library online through the WLA website
• PCI (Payment Card Industry) certification for the security of online donations

Technical Services:

• Internet service for all member libraries
• Member library’s internet service equipment maintenance
• Member library’s computers for the circulation desk and the library director are purchased and maintained by the WLA
• All yearly Erate program participation
• All library circulation and public computers are equipped with Deep Freeze software to protect patron information and privacy
• All library circulation and public computers are equipped with Untangle firewall to secure computers from hacking, and to provide statistical information

Fundraising:

• Annual Countywide Library Appeal creation and management
• WLA Board annual fundraiser, managed by WLA Staff and WLA Board
• All costs associated with WLA sponsored fundraising events, such as liability insurance and Countywide Library Appeal letter design, printing costs and postage costs
• Member library registration to NEPA Gives fundraiser in June
• All management/accounting/distribution of donations from WLA fundraising efforts
• All WLA fundraising statistics/donor management
• All WLA fundraising Thank You letters are created/sent
• All envelopes/postage/letterhead used by WLA for fundraising purposes
• Access to our Donor Management software annual subscription (used by WLA Staff to manage WLA fundraising appeals/events)

E-Resources:

• All WLA members are automatically participants in the Northeast PA Digital Library consortium which provides member library patrons access to Overdrive/Libby's 30,000 (and growing!) e-books and e-audiobooks at a greatly reduced cost
• All management/accounting of WLA’s participation in the Northeast PA Digital Library consortium
• WLA provides the following e-resources to member libraries and their patrons:
  • hoopla, a library media streaming platform with 850,000+ instantly accessible titles available for e-audio books, comics, e-books, movies, music, and TV
  • The digital version of World Book Encyclopedia
  • Freading Online Books via the WLA website
  • PA Power Library via the WLA website
  • Creativebug via the WLA website
• The Wayne County Public Library provides the following e-resources to all member libraries and their patrons:
  • The digital version AtoZ Food America and AtoZ World Food via the WLA website
  • Tutor.com via the WLA website
  • Learning Express via the WLA website
  • Teen Health & Wellness via the WLA website
  • Core Concepts Biology/Chemistry/Periodic Table via the WLA website
  • Power Knowledge Earth/Space/Life Science/Physical Science via the WLA website

Human Resource Services (for those who opt in to this additional service):

• Management/accounting of payroll processing
• Management/accounting of Worker’s Comp insurance and Worker’s Comp annual audit
• Management of all new employee paperwork packets
• Management of all unemployment claims made by prior employees
• Management/accounting of PMRS Pension participation
• Management/accounting of Geisinger Health Insurance participation
• Management/accounting of Aflac Supplemental insurance
• Management/accounting of payroll taxes
• Distribution of all 941 reports sent to IRS
• Distribution of all W4’s
• Purchase of PaLA membership for member access to online State conference registration (when financially feasible)

Statewide Services:

• Receipt and distribution of County funding via the WLA to member libraries
• Receipt and distribution of State Aid funding via the WLA to member libraries
• Online form to submit/collect program statistics and library statistics required by the State Reports
• Statistics compilation for member library State Reports
• State Reports completion assistance

​Financial Services:

• Yearly/bi-annual member library financial audits as required by the state
• Annual liability insurance policy
• All 990’s issued by auditors and submitted to the state by our District Consultant
• The WLA provides managerial guidance to member library directors as needed

​Marketing Services:

• The WLA provides member libraries with:
  • Chamber of the Northern Poconos membership
  • ARSL (Association for Rural and Small Libraries) membership
  • ALA (American Library Association) membership
  • Zoom membership
• Flyers/marketing materials used to promote WLA-sponsored library services
• Online access to it's iContact account for creating bulk emails and newsletters
• Registration and insurance for marketing at the Wayne County Fair
• Zoom annual membership with availability for all WLA member libraries to use
• Relationships with State, County and Local partners/officials to promote the WLA and the member libraries