Membership in TBLC is a commitment to resource sharing. TBLC and its member libraries work to encourage collaboration, resource sharing, staff development, and innovations to ensure that the people of west central Florida receive excellent, up-to-date library services and have access to the world of information. Libraries in Citrus, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Manatee, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Saint Lucie counties can be members of TBLC. Membership in the Consortium can be as a full member or an associate member. Full members are held to the TBLC Membership Criteria and are governing members of the Consortium. Associate membership entitles a library or group of libraries to limited membership benefits with the opportunity for TBLC staff to assist the library in reaching full member status.
Choose a membership below.
Full members of TBLC can participate in all of the programs and services offered by the Consortium. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Participation in the TBLC Group Access Capability (GAC) to be
an OCLC Selective User for interlibrary loan and batchloading, - Inclusion in grant-funded member library projects,
- Continuing education or consulting opportunities
- Participation in TBLC-brokered electronic resource group purchases.
Full members are voting members of the Consortium.
Membership Criteria
To qualify for full membership, libraries must meet the membership criteria:
- Member libraries participate in the Florida Interlibrary Loan Network (FLIN) to provide information and materials to Florida patrons.
- Member libraries have three avenues to identify a location for resources. These include:
- The Florida Library Database (OCLC)
- The emerging Florida network of library catalogs and
electronic resources. - Use of FirstSearch and other designated agencies for searches
within FLIN and the OCLC database.
- Member libraries have at least one full-time person with a degree in library and information science or experience in library administration.
- Member libraries have materials and services sufficient to meet minimum needs of their clientele.
- Descriptive cataloging and subject headings for member libraries’ collections meet professionally acceptable standards.
- MARC formatted records are mandatory for TBLC bibliographic resource sharing. Automated member libraries agree to use or move toward using full MARC format.
- Member libraries agree to exchange materials by making available, without charge, through interlibrary loan or photocopy, printed materials normally available to their service community. This service will be available to TBLC member libraries and libraries in Florida that are FLIN participants.
- Member libraries agree to submit a Resource Sharing Plan as part of their application.
Request Membership Package
Email Vickie Frost at frostv@tblc.org
View the application packet PDF file
(PDF File, Size 7.35 KB)
PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.
Dues are based upon expenditures in previous fiscal year. Surveys are
conducted in January. TBLC annually determines if there has been a
change in status. Official statistical reports and surveys are used to
determine expenditures in the most recently completed fiscal year.
Dues Schedule (effective October 2007)
| CATEGORY | DUES | |
| Special Library, Individual School Library, all other libraries with budgets under $100,000 | $600 | |
| $100,000-$749,999 | $750 | |
| $750,000-$1,499,999 | $1,000 | |
| $1,500,000-$2,999,999 | $1,250 | |
| $3,000,000-$4,999,999 | $1,500 | |
| $5,000,000-$9,999,999 | $2,500 | |
| Over $10,000,000 | $5,000 | |
| School Districts: | ||
| Under 20 high schools | $750 | |
| 20-40 high schools | $1,000 | |
| Over 40 high schools | $1,250 | |
A vote of the full members at the TBLC Annual Meeting in November is
required to change the dues schedule. Changes are implemented in
the following fiscal year, beginning the next October.
Associate Members
Libraries may join TBLC as non-voting associate members. Associate
members need not sign the membership criteria. Associate
membership signifies support for the principles of resource sharing as
embodied in the TBLC mission statement. Full member libraries are not
expected to provide resource sharing services to associate members.
Associate members may be individual libraries or they may join as
part of a membership in a library staff membership organization
serving west central Florida.
Individual libraries joining as associate members are non-voting
members. These libraries can attend continuing education
opportunities at member rates.
TBLC will provide assistance to help individual libraries qualify to
become full resource sharing members.
Dues Schedule
| Individual Library | $200 |
Public Library Cooperative Members
The Public Library Cooperative membership category is a form of full
membership provided to allow public library cooperatives and their
members the option of having a single TBLC membership or individual
memberships. The cooperative membership provides one vote and
the opportunity for one representative to be elected to the board
but otherwise the individual member libraries have all of the other
rights of full membership.
Dues Schedule
| CATEGORY | DUES |
| Library cooperatives with annual budget of $10 million | $10,000* |
| Library cooperatives with annual budget of $5 million to $9.9 million | $5,000* |
*All members of the cooperative will be included as full members of
TBLC.
A library cooperative has the option for each individual library to
pay separately as individual libraries if that total is less than paying
as a cooperative.
