Eligibility

Discount Calculation

Library System

To calculate the discount for a library system:

  • Determine the total number of students eligible for the NSLP in the public school district in which the main branch or main administrative office of the library is located.

  • Determine the total number of students in that school district.

  • Divide the first number by the second number to get the percentage of students eligible for NSLP in that school district.

  • Using this percentage and the urban or rural status of the library system, find the appropriate C1 and C2 discount for the school district in the discount matrix.

Library Branch (Outlet)

Each library branch and each eligible library NIF uses the discount for the library system’s main branch or main administrative office. If only one library branch in the library system receives a service, or that service is shared among all or a subset of library branches in the library system, the discount does not change.

Independent Libraries

An independent library acts as its own main branch and would follow the library system calculation method above.

New Library Construction

For a new library, calculate the discount as described above under library branch using the student information from the public school district in which the main branch of the library is (or will be) located.

Library Non-Instructional Facility

A non-instructional facility (NIF) generally is a library building without public areas. When eligible for support, library NIFs receive the same discount as the library system.

The discount for a NIF is derived from the library system regardless of the physical location of the building. NIFs are not counted in the library system’s urban/rural determination.


Urban Rural Status

Urban/rural discount for a school district or library system

If more than 50 percent of the schools in a school district or libraries in a library system are considered rural, the school district or library system is eligible for a rural discount. If 50 percent or fewer of the entities are considered rural, the school district or library system is eligible for an urban discount.


Individual library branches (outlets)

  • An individual library branch that is part of a library system must use the discount calculated for its library system, even if the individual library branch applies for funding on its own. For example, even if an individual library branch is considered rural, it must use the urban discount calculated for its library system if the library system is eligible for an urban discount.

  • However, an independent library – for example, a library that does not share a common board with other libraries and is individually responsible for its finances and administration – uses only the level of poverty from the public school district in which it is physically located and the urban or rural status of its physical location for its discount calculation.

Library systems

  • NIFs do not have an urban or rural status and do not count toward the urban or rural determination for the library system.

  • Bookmobiles and kiosks can be considered library branches and are counted toward the urban or rural determination for the library system. USAC will use the address in its database for the bookmobile or kiosk to determine its urban or rural status.