About
The Enoch Pratt Central Library is the designated State Library Resource Center for the state of Maryland. SLRC librarians and staff partner with and serve libraries across the state.
The State Library Resource Center (SLRC) is the State Library for Maryland, housed in the Central Library of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore city. As the designated SLRC, librarians and staff at the Pratt Library work with libraries across the state to provide cooperative and cost-effective resources and services for Maryland libraries, librarians, support staff, and their customers.
SLRC is funded through a grant that is part of the Maryland State Budget and serves public, academic, school, and special libraries in Maryland.
Vision
The Maryland State Library Resource Center enriches a strong, vibrant Maryland library community to empower an educated and informed public.
Mission
The Maryland State Library Resource Center, in collaboration with its partners, provides cooperative, cost-effective, statewide resources and services for Maryland libraries and their customers.
Core Values & Guiding Principles
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Customers First
- Responsibility
SLRC Responsibilities
Collection
- Maintain a collection of books, objects, and resources that date from the 12th century to the present, including:
- An in-depth African American collection
- A historically significant Maryland history collection
- A historic 16mm film collection
- A classroom education support collection
- A comprehensive DVD collection in all genres
- The Grants collection, which is a Cooperating Collection in conjunction with Candid
- A sheet music collection of popular songs from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries contained in over 3500 songbooks and other sources
- Maintain a staff of subject specialists in all major areas covered by the collection
Training
- Conduct three to five annual conferences for Maryland library workers
- Offer online and face-to-face training on topics related to Library and Information Sciences for Maryland library employees
- Provide significant support for the Library Associate Training Institute (LATI) administered by the Maryland State Library Agency, enabling library staff with Bachelor degrees and without an MLIS to earn a Maryland Library Associate Certificate
- Provide consulting to Maryland libraries on the areas of information, reference, and technology in libraries
Other Services
- Coordinate statewide interlibrary loan through the Maryland Interlibrary Loan Office (MILO)
- Provide broadband Internet access to public libraries, schools, and local government in Maryland through the Sailor Network
- Provide subscriptions to research databases to all Maryland public libraries
- Produce guides to librarian-recommended websites to keep all Maryland libraries aligned
- Present programs for the public virtually as well as in libraries and other facilities around the state
SLRC Operations
The State Library Resource Center is overseen by the SLRC Oversight Commission, with guidance from the Maryland State Library Association. The SLRC Oversight Commission is composed of library administrators from public, academic, school, and special libraries in Maryland.
A strategic plan is set every five years. Each year, an annual plan is established by SLRC staff based on the strategic plan and feedback from the SLRC Oversight Commission. SLRC staff report activities and budget information to the SLRC Oversight Commission quarterly. The dates and documents pertaining to these meetings are available on the SLRC website Plans & Reports page.
Links & Related Resources
Links to websites, organizations, data, and other resources related to the State Library Resource Center.
Plans & Reports
SLRC Plans, Yearly Reports, and Commission Meeting Minutes
Learn More
Links
Links to related websites, organizations, and data related to the State Library Resource Center.
Learn More