SLAA Users Guide FY2016

State Library
Administrative Agency
Survey, FY 2016
Web-Based Data Collection Tool
User’s Guide
Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is authorized under 20 U.S.C. Chapter 72 to fulfill
the congressional mandate to carry out analyses of the impact of library services.

Introduction
This user’s guide provides information needed to complete the FY 2016 State Library
Administrative Agency (SLAA) Survey. There are six steps you must complete to submit your
data: log-in, data entry, edit review and resolution, data submission, State Librarian certification,
and post-edit survey follow-up. Each of these steps, as well as other information relevant to
completing the survey, is discussed below.
If you encounter any problems with the system, please contact the American Institutes for
Research (AIR) survey administrators at SLAA@air.org or 1-866-261-2295. The Help Desk is
open 8am – 5pm EST Monday through Friday. Respondents who would like assistance outside
of these hours may schedule an appointment with an AIR representative.

Log-in
AIR will provide a user ID and temporary password to key holders in a separate document.
You must change your password the first time you log in to the system. On subsequent log-ins,
you will be taken to the Dashboard, which displays the survey status. If you forget your
password, click on the Forgot Password link to gain access to the survey. After a successful login, you can click on Start in the Action column to begin a part of the survey.

Logout
You may leave a session at any time using the Logout button found on the banner of each survey
page.

Navigation
Each page of the survey includes a banner at the top with four menus (Dashboard, Reports,
Help, and Logout).
There are three ways to navigate through the survey:
1. Dashboard. This is the home screen of the survey and is where the user should go to
begin each part of the survey. By clicking the Start/Continue link for each part in the
Action column, the user will be taken to that part of the survey. The Dashboard also
shows the status of each part of the survey, as pictured below.

1

2. Go To button. This button appears at the bottom of each survey section. Select a section
in the drop-down menu and then click the Go To button to jump to that part of the
survey. Clicking on the Go To button also will save the survey data entered on the current
page.

3. Save & Next and Save & Previous buttons. These buttons appear at the bottom of each
survey section. Clicking on these buttons will save the data on the current page and will
move you to either the next page or the previous page.

Part Status
The SLAA survey consists of 13 parts, A-M. The status of each part of the survey is recorded in
the Part Status column on the Dashboard. There are four possible statuses:
1. Not Started means that the user has not entered data for that part.
2. Errors Exist means that the user has entered data, but errors exist.

2

3. Incomplete means that the user has entered data, no errors exist, but the section is not
complete. Note: this status was added beginning with FY 2016.
4. Clean means that data have been entered and no questionable data exist.
The status of each part of the survey is continually updated, so you will be able to identify which
parts need additional information.

Printing
Use your browser’s Print button or the Print option under the File menu to print the survey data
directly from the data entry screens.
A blank version of the survey data entry form may be viewed and printed using the Survey
Form (Blank) option found on the Reports menu. You also can view and print forms that
include any current-year data that has been entered via the Survey Form (Current Year Data)
found on the Reports menu. Similarly, you can view and print forms that include prior-year data
via the Survey Form (Prior Year Data) option. After clicking on each of these options, a File
Download dialogue box will open, and you will be able to open or save the .pdf document. Once
opened, the document can be printed. Use your browser’s Back button to return to the previously
viewed screen.

Data Entry
Although the survey does not have to be completed in a specific order, you may wish to move
sequentially through Parts A through M, as edits in later parts are affected by entries in earlier
parts. Please note the following instructions:
1. Identification verification. Part A. (State Library Administrative Agency
Identification) is prefilled with data provided by your agency. Please verify this
information and correct or update anything that has changed.
2. Saving/viewing data. You must save your data before exiting each part of the survey.


The Verify & Save button will save the data and stay on the current screen.



The Save & Next button will save the data and move to the next screen.



The Save & Previous button will save the data and move to the previous screen.

It is recommended that you save data frequently. When a screen is saved, edit icons
(described in the Edit Review and Resolution section of the guide) will appear next to
data cells that have missing or questionable data. Click on an icon to review the edit
message and the required action.

3

NOTE: Your session will expire after 15 minutes of inactivity. Saved data will not be lost.
However, unsaved data will be lost. Please be sure to save your responses frequently. A
timeout warning pop-up box was added beginning in FY 2016.
3. Navigating the survey. Use the Tab and Shift+Tab keys to move forward and backward
between the data entry boxes. The Delete and Backspace keys are active inside each data
entry box.

Edit Review and Resolution
A full list of edit messages and conditions are included in the Ready Reference Shelf. Edit
messages are generated for individual survey pages as data are saved (e.g., after clicking the
Verify & Save button). There are three types of edit messages, each identified by a unique icon:
1. Fatal Error (denoted with a red icon ). Indicates that either data are missing and must
be provided or the data entered failed an edit check and must be corrected. Fatal errors
must be resolved before you can submit the survey.
2. Confirm or Explain (denoted with a yellow icon ). Indicates that the data are
questionable. Please review the data for accuracy and enter correct data, if appropriate. If
the questionable data are correct, the edit message can be resolved by entering an
explanation in the Justification field in the Edit Report and clicking Save Justification.
Providing a clear, concise explanation may eliminate the need for future follow-ups about
the data. Please note that text entered in the Justification field will not be saved unless
you click on one of the Save Justification buttons located at the top and bottom of the
Edit Report.
3. Edit Reason (Accepted) (denoted with a gray icon
data has been provided.

). An explanation for questionable

The edit icons also serve as links to the specific edit message(s) for that item. Clicking on an
icon will take you to the Edit Report that notes the edit message and the action required to
resolve the message. You also may access the Edit Report option by clicking the button at the
bottom of each page. Each edit message contains seven items:
1. Edit Code (edit message number)
2. Line Number (survey item)
3. Section (survey part and page)
4. Message
5. Value (current-year or prior-year data that are related to the edit)
6. Justification (text box to enter explanations, if applicable)

4

7. Accepted (edit message resolution status — Yes or No)
Once all edit messages are resolved, “Yes” will appear for each section in the Accepted column
NOTE: All edit messages must be resolved by revising or confirming the data in order to
lock and submit the survey. Changes to data may generate new edit messages that you will
need to resolve.
of the Dashboard and the Submit Data button will be enabled.

Data Submission
When the survey is complete and all edit messages have been resolved, the Edit Report will
display Yes in the Accepted column for each edit failure. To submit the data, click the Submit
Data button on the Dashboard screen. After clicking Submit Data, you will be asked to provide
an estimate of the number of hours it took to complete the survey. After clicking the Submit Data
button, you will have two options:
1. Continue with Locking. By clicking this button, you will finish the process of locking
the data, and the system will send an e-mail to the State Librarian confirming that the
data has been submitted and is ready for certification.
2. Return to Dashboard. This button will navigate back to the survey without submitting
the data.
After your survey is locked, you will still be able to view and print your data; however, you will
not be able to make any changes to the data unless a request is submitted to the SLAA Help
Desk. This action should not be a substitute for entering the correct data initially.
If you discover a data error after locking your survey, contact the SLAA Help Desk at
SLAA@air.org or 1-866-261-2295. The Help Desk will assist in correcting any errors and
resubmitting the data. The survey administrators will notify the State Librarian that previously
locked data have been “unlocked” and certification will be required after the data is resubmitted.

State Librarian Certification
After the key holder locks the survey data, an e-mail will be sent to the State Librarian describing
the certification process. The e-mail will include a web link for the certification, as well as a user
ID and password for authorization. The key holder will be notified by e-mail once the State
Librarian certifies the data.

5

Post-Edit Survey Follow-up
After data submission, AIR will review the data. After the review, a document containing any
follow-up questions will be posted on the survey website. You will receive e-mail notification
that this document is available for review. After logging in to the survey, the Dashboard will
have a Files Available for Download section at the bottom with a link to the follow-up edit
report. After clicking on the link, you can choose to save or open the file.
After providing explanations for each question, you will save the file and then upload it to the
website. To upload the document, click the link under the File Uploads section of the dashboard.
Click the Browse button to find the file that needs to be uploaded. After selecting the file, click
Open and then Upload File. When providing explanations in the follow-up edit report, only
write a response in the yellow column, labeled Response. Changes to any other cells in the
spreadsheet will not be reviewed. If there are problems providing an explanation in the table,
please contact the AIR survey administrators.

Changes from the Prior Survey (SLAA FY2014 Survey)
A. Help Section
Names and contact information were updated in the Help Section for the SLAA FY 2016 Survey.

B. Help Button Added
A help button, called “Helpdesk”, has been added in the upper right corner of the screen.
Clicking on this button opens a new window with a form for the key holder to send an email to
the SLAA Help Desk. After submitting (or cancelling) the form, the key holder is returned to the
Dashboard.

C. Timeout Warning Added
A timeout warning will pop up after 15 minutes of inactivity. When the timeout warning appears,
the user can choose to continue the session or logout. If no option is selected, the user is
automatically logged out after 60 seconds.

D. New Line Number Scheme
Line numbers were converted to a new scheme in FY 2016. The new scheme uses a section code
(e.g., “D”), a sub-section category code where applicable (e.g., “CS”), and a three-digit numeric
indicator. Spaces are included between each number to allow for additional items to be added.
The PDF version of the FY 2016 includes the old line numbers in parentheses adjacent to the
new line numbers.

6

E. Changes to Definitions
Three items located in parts J and L required changes or updates to definitions. These changes
are shown below.

Part J: Revenue
17.

Federal Revenue

154. LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) State Programs
(Report all LSTA funds drawn down from the federal government during state fiscal year
2016, regardless of year of authorization)
FY 2014 Definition

FY 2016 Definition

LSTA (Library Services and Technology
Act) State Programs

LSTA (Library Services and Technology
Act) State Programs

Note: Report the funds drawn down from
the federal government from the LSTA
State Program during state fiscal year
2016. Do not report LSTA National
Leadership Grants--report these grants in
item 155 (Other Federal revenue).

Note: Report the funds drawn down from the
federal government from the LSTA Grants to
States Program during state fiscal year 2016,
whether drawn from one or more federal
fiscal year allotments. Do not include IMLS
Discretionary funds such as National
Leadership Grants, Laura Bush 21st Century
Librarian Program, or Sparks! Ignition -report these grants in item 155 (Other Federal
revenue).

Part J: Revenue
17.

Federal Revenue

155.

Other Federal revenue
FY 2014 Definition

FY 2016 Definition

Other Federal revenue. If the SLAA
received other federal revenue (e.g.,
National Endowment for the Humanities
grants, National Historical Publications
and Records Commission grants, LSCA
Title II grants, LSTA National Leadership
Grants, etc.), report that revenue in this
item. If your state acts as the fiscal agent
for a multi-state grant, report only the
funds designated for your state.

Other Federal revenue. If the SLAA received
federal revenue other than LSTA Grants to
States funds (e.g., National Endowment for
the Humanities grants, National Historical
Publications and Records Commission
grants, LSTA National Leadership Grants,
Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grants,
etc.), report that revenue in this item. If your
state acts as the fiscal agent for a multi-state
grant, report only the funds designated for

7

your state.

Part L: LSTA State Program Expenditures
19.

Enter total SLAA state program expenditures, by type of expenditure.

192.

LSTA administration
FY 2014 Definition

FY 2016 Definition

LSTA administration. Expenditures of
LSTA funds for administrative costs in
connection with programs and services
carried out under this Act.

LSTA administration. Expenditures of LSTA
funds for administrative costs in connection
with programs and services carried out under
this Act.
Note: These are the costs associated with the
SLAA’s management, oversight, and
administration of the IMLS LSTA Grants to
States program and are costs that would be
considered administrative costs and subject
to the 4% cap.

8

F. New Items to Collect Additional Information
Question 17 was modified to allow the entry of up to 10 programs so that IMLS may collect
additional information on other federal revenue. The image below displays how the chis change
was implemented in the Web Tool.

G. Re-ordering of Items
In question 18, “capital outlay” and “other expenditures” were moved from the end of the list of
expenditures to the middle, following “Operating expenditures for SLAA and allied operations.”

9