Chisago County Commissioner George McMahon has been appointed to the Libraries and Service Delivery Consultant Group of the Minnesota Department of Education. Commissioner McMahon represents the Association of Minnesota Counties on the Consultant Group and serves as one of three Chisago County appointed trustees on the ECRL Board of Directors. The first meeting of the group was on August 18, 2014.

The 2014 Minnesota Legislature directed the Commissioner of the Department of Education to consult with people knowledgeable about state libraries and service delivery about ways to increase service delivery and collaboration between library governance systems.

The appointed group includes representatives from the Department of Education, regional public library systems, multicounty multitype library systems, metro and greater Minnesota public libraries, Minitex, public school library media specialists, Office of Higher Education, Association of Minnesota Counties, and League of Minnesota Cities.

The Libraries and Service Delivery Consultant Group will review options for changing library procedures and governance systems to ensure equitable and cost-effective access to library services statewide. The legislative charge also asks the group to consider ways to increase access to emerging electronic services.

A final report with recommendations is due by February 1, 2015. The Commissioner of Education must report to the Education Policy and Finance Committees of the Minnesota State Legislature on how to structure library systems to ensure that all Minnesota residents have equitable and cost-effective access to state-supported library services.