About Us
The San Joaquin Valley Library System (SJVLS) is a library consortium composed of ten public library jurisdictions in seven counties. Services are provided through a central office, currently consisting of five staff members hired through Fresno County for the specific purpose of working towards fulfilling the needs of the consortium as a whole.
The consortium has a vast networking infrastructure that links these jurisdictions in order to gain access to a shared library automation system, public Internet access, shared electronic resources, a digital public memory project, and Inter-Library Loan and delivery services for physical services. The SJVLS office staff leads the way in the operation of this infrastructure and trains staff working throughout the SJVLS service area.
SJVLS is a Joint Powers Authority agency established under the California Library Services Act (CLSA) on behalf of the member library jurisdictions. As set forth in the Joint Powers Agreement, SJVLS is governed by an Administrative Council made up of the directors from each of the member libraries. They operate under the authority of the Joint Powers Agreement and current by-laws. The Administrative Council is supported by an Automation Committee, which oversees the acquisition and use of shared software, hardware, and the integrated library system, and an Electronic Resources Committee, which manages the shared digital resources such as databases and ebooks. Meetings of SJVLS Council and committees are subject to the Brown Act. Funding for SJVLS comes from member library contributions and the State of California through CLSA.
The member libraries of SJVLS are:
- Coalinga-Huron District Library
- Fresno County Public Library
- Kern County Library
- Kings County Library
- Madera County Library
- Mariposa County Library
- Merced County Library
- Porterville City Library
- Tulare County Library
- Tulare Public Library