The Commissioner’s Office
Through the Commissioner’s Office, the Commissioner and State Librarian establishes overall policy and direction for the department and serves as liaison with the Secretary’s Office, the Governor’s Office and the Legislature. The Commissioner also works with legislators and other public officials on funding and library issues, developing partnerships that enhance the statewide program, develops strategic plans as well as budgets to implement those plans, and promotes resource sharing through information technology. Additionally, the Commissioner serves on various boards and commissions in support of the agency. The communications function of the agency is served through the Commissioner’s Office.
Archives and Records Management Division
The Archives and Records Management Division (ARM) works with Kentucky government agencies to ensure creation and preservation of adequate and proper documentation of the agency’s organizational functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions. ARM also works with agencies so that their records protect the legal and financial rights of government and of individuals directly affected by an agency’s activities. ARM does this by establishing standards, procedures, and administrative regulations for recording, managing, preserving and reproducing government records, whatever their medium. The Division operates the state's statutorily mandated central records depositories: the State Archives and the State Records Center. The State Archives houses and makes available for research permanently valuable state and local government records and the State Records Center provides agencies with secure, economical storage for their non-current records. The work of the division is provided through the following branches: Archival Services Branch, Electronic Records Management Branch, Local Records Branch, and State Records Branch.
Division of Library Services
The Division of Library Services supports state government the Commonwealth's residents in a variety of ways—both directly and indirectly. It has two branches. The Collections and Circulation Branch includes the Kentucky Talking Book Library and the State Library. The Talking Book Library acts as a statewide public library service for people with a temporary or permanent visual or physical condition or a reading disability that makes it difficult to use regular print materials. It distributes braille and audio books, magazines, and playback equipment directly to patrons by mail or download. The State Library provides materials and services to support state government employees and Kentucky's Public libraries and their users. Its collection includes personal and professional topics, library science books, and Kentucky fiction and non-fiction. It has vast selection of large print books, audiobooks, book discussion kits, and programming kits that public libraries can borrow to augment their own collections. Services include downloadable e-books and e-audiobooks, access to databases, Interlibrary Loan (ILL), and general training for state employees. The Library Development Branch provides professional consulting and guidance to public library trustees, directors, and staff. Regional Library Consultants are a library director's go-to source of information, providing expertise on a variety of topics like Budget, Policies, Collection Development, Planning, and Community Relations. Statewide Consultants advise libraries in specific subject areas like Technology, Adult or Children's Services, or Continuing Education for staff. They also administer federal and state grant opportunities, enabling libraries to provide materials and programs to their communities.