SEKLS News

News and Events

Annual Meeting, Revenue Neutral Rate, and Budget Hearings

Register today for this day-long event! The full System Board meets once per year for our Annual Meeting to review and approve the budget, complete any required hearings, and vote on nominees for the System’s Executive Committee, our working Board. Public libraries may receive credit on their Allocation by sending a voting representative to the Annual Meeting.
When: Friday, August 28, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Annual Meeting: 1 PM
Where: SEK Impact Center, 1500 W. 7th St. Chanute, KS

System Budget and Plans

For the 2027 budget, the System’s Revenue Neutral Rate and Budget Hearings are scheduled for Friday, August 28 at 1 pm at the SEK Impact Center in Chanute, Kansas.

The Executive Board reviewed and approved the 2027 System Plan and Tentative Budget for the Southeast Kansas Regional System of Cooperating Libraries on May 18, 2026 and the System Librarian, Sharon Moreland, presented it for approval by the State Library of Kansas Board on Friday, June 12 in Topeka.

The System is currently using the approved 2026 Southeast Kansas Library System Plan and 2026 Published Budget (.pdf). For those who are interested, our Strategic Plan  was updated in 2024 and progress is tracked on the SEKLS Strategic Plan Dashboard.  These past plans are also available for review: 2025 SEKLS System Plan | 2024 SEKLS System Plan.

Combined Agenda for August 28 Annual Meeting and Hearings (Google Doc):

  • Revenue Neutral Rate Hearing
      1. Call to order
      2. Open RNR Hearing
      3. RNR Hearing public comment period
      4. Resolution No. 2026-02 to exceed the revenue neutral rate
        1. Roll Call vote
      5. Close the hearing
  • Budget Hearing
    1. Call to order
    2. Budget Hearing public comment period
      1. Published Budget Summary
        Budget Notice | General Fund | Employee Benefit Fund
    3. Close the hearing

Kansas Family Foundation Grant

The new Continuing Education Scholarship Grant program is now open, made possible through the generosity of a Kansas Family Foundation. As shared in the May/June Newsletter, this first grant will fund 10 Continuing Education Scholarships of $500 per semester with a maximum of $1,500 per student. The scholarship will support tuition and fees for coursework at an in-district or in-state Community College or University, or an ALA-accredited master’s degree program in library science. This is an extension of the System’s internal tuition support program, but open to a wider range of formal education opportunities. The guidelines, policy, and application are available for your review.
This document provides an Overview of all three grants awarded to the Southeast Kansas Library System by an anonymous Kansas Community Foundation. 

Substitute Program

Karen Wallace is available to serve as a substitute Director for academic and public libraries throughout the System.
The Program Guidelines outline this new System service. Her hours are paid for by the system, not the library.
If interested, contact Sharon with the request. This is an alternative to the Small Library Attendance Support Grant.

DOCK 2.0 Mobile Maker Space and Digital Literacy Training Project

Lead Contact: Darrin Daugherty
This Grant provides opportunities to share with your community to emerging technologies, educational software, and access to a Digital Navigator for training and program support.
Funded through: Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans

Learn more by viewing this Living Well’s Tech Talk segment! Press release: Press release
Big news for a small-town libraries in southeast Kansas! All because the local library system landed a substantial grant bringing free access to lots of new technology. Also expanded resources and exciting programs for all ages.

Excellence Award – Excellence Award Winners