IMLS Issues 2008 Public Libraries Report

The Institute of Museum and Library Services just released Public Libraries Survey: Fiscal Year 2008, the report that accompanies survey data from the Institute's annual census of U.S. public libraries. The document summarizes 2008 library statistics from 50 states, the District of Columbia, and outlying territories. As with past years, the report presents dozens of cross-tablulation tables of library expenditures, staffing, collection, and services data by state, service area population, and other variables.

Compared with the 2007 report, this edition expands the number of charts depicting multi-year trends for key library statistical measures (see the Introduction section).

Public Library Funding & Internet Access Survey Released

2009-2010 Edition

This week the American Library Association (ALA) released Libraries Connect Communities 4: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2009-2010, the 4th report from a multi-year survey program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The reports focus on access to public libary computing resources and services, connection speeds, WIFI availabilty, training classes offered, and so on. Due to the current economic recession, this latest edition emphasizes access to e-govern- ment services and job-searching resources via libraries.

Data on funding trends are also reported including budget changes libraries anticpate for 2011. As with prior years' reports, the study concludes that, although the levels of public access technology services have increased steadily, demand outstrips supply.

2008 Public Library Data Files Released

IMLS Meets Annual Deadline

The Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS) has released the 2008 public library public use data files. IMLS has been successful in staying on schedule with this annual release. In April the 2008 data were made available for searching using the Compare Public Libraries feature accessible on the IMLS website.

As with prior editions of the federal data, state definitions for an operational year differ. 13 states use the calendar year, 22 states use July through June of the subsequent year, and the remaining states some other definiton.

Beginning with the 2007 data released in 2009, the data file inclused geographical information system (GIS) fields (longitude, latitude) census tract and block, and U.S. Congressional District. This year the survey added another field, locale, to indicate whether libraries are located in cities, towns, suburbs or rural areas. The town and rural designations are also categorized as 'fringe', 'distant', and 'remote'.

The IMLS public library data files are the most comprehensive collection of U.S. public library statistics available. The FY 2008 Public Library Survey is expected to be published by IMLS next month.

New Report on Benefits of Public Library Internet Access

Billed as 'First-Ever' National Study

Last month the first installment of a multi-year research project conducted by the University of Washington, Opportunity for All: How the Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries, was released. The research, funded by IMLS and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, describes access to the Internet as a "core service" that the American public "relies on" for both "life-changing and routine" purposes. Researchers report 45% of all library visitors use Internet access provided by libraries. At the same time, public library Internet access is portrayed as crucial for ameliorating inequities of the "digital divide." The study found that about the same amount (44%) of families living below the federal poverty line use this access.

Publicity for the 109-page report describes the research as "the first-ever" national study of public library Internet access use and users. More information is available here.

You can also read this critique I wrote about a chart appearing in Chapter 2 of the report.

New IMLS Report on State Library Agency Revenues, Expenditures & Service Trends

2004 to 2008 Revenues Flat

This month IMLS released State Library Agency Service Trends: 1999 - 2008. The 10-page IMLS Research Brief Number 2 presents several charts describing state library agency statistical trends, including total revenues, expenditures and programming in areas such as services to "hard to serve populations", reading and literacy programs, database licensing, and so on.

The brief reports that library agencies in all 50 states offer access to centralized directories, databases, and online catalogs via the Internet. State-level funding support for Internet access, however, has decreased. In 2008 58% of state library agencies reported providing funding for Internet access, compared to 82% in 1999.

The authors argue that since state library agency administrative costs have remained roughly stable for the past ten years, revenue decreases or increases directly affect levels of public library support. They also predict that state level revenue shortfalls will lead to a decrease in the quality of local library services.

FCC Releases Broadband Survey

65% of US Adults Use Broadband at Home

This week the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued its first ever national consumer survey of broadband Internet access. The study is a precursor to the FCC's scheduled delivery of its National Broadband Plan to the U.S. Congress next month. The research report, written by John B. Horrigan, former associate director of research for the Pew Internet & American Life Project, corroroborates the existence of the "digital divide" and identifies three reasons for some citizens forgoing this type of access: cost, lack of "digital literacy" and the belief that broadband is not worthwhile (p. 30).

The study categorizes those resistant to adopting broadband as "digitally distant", "digital hopefuls", "digitally uncomfortable" and "near converts" (p. 32). The research found that some U.S. citizens see the Internet as undesirable because it has too much pornography, is dangerous for children, and/or makes theft of their private information too easy (p. 6).

The report contains an array of statistics about broadband use grouped by education, income, ethnicity, age, and other variables. The study appendix documents the exceptional care the researcher took to assure that sampling methods avoided bias.

Assessing Service Quality 2nd Edition Published

Emphasis on Customer Perceptions

In January ALA Editions published a new edition of the 1998 classic by Peter Hernon and Ellen Altman, Assessing Service Quality: Satisfying the Expectations of Library Customers. The book's emphasis continues to be on quality and continuous improvement from the customer perspective. The first chapter quickly describes the popular, four-perspective Balanced Scorecard and then explains that the customer perspective is foremost! Half of this edition's chapter titles directly mention customers and their perceptions.

The Jan/Feb 2010 issue of American Libraries (AL) includes an excerpt which appears to be the book's concluding chapter. Presumably, the book (I have read only the AL excerpt and the Google Books limited view) sticks to the story of quality management, continuous improvement, and Parasuraman et. al's model of service quality as the measured gap between services provided and customer expectations.

New IMLS Report on 10 Year Public Library Service Trends

Library Visitation Grew by 19%

The Institute of Museum and Library Services just released Service Trends in U.S. Public Libraries, 1997-2007, the first in a series of IMLS Research Briefs. This 6-page Brief Number 1 presents five charts depicting trends in circulation, visits, Internet PC's, and expenditures on electronic resources. The report compares aggregate data for all U.S. libraries, libraries in metropolitan areas, and those in non-metropolitan areas. Continued growth in library use despite the popularity of the Internet is interpreted as an indication that libraries have successfully adapted to changing patron needs and wants.

LJ Index Round 2 Released

IMLS Data Pave Way for Fall 2009 Ratings

Quick distribution of the 2007 public library data by IMLS allowed us to publish a second edition of the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service this year. If this IMLS schedule continues, LJ Index Round 3 could show up in September 2010!

Our initial designs for the Index appear here. Here are the Round 1 results. And please take a look at the all important FAQs that explain what ratings are and are not!

In this edition more libraries qualified to be rated (they must report all statistical items the Index uses). The ratings compare each library's data to averages (scroll down to the 2nd table ) for their peer group. So, changes in group membership (newly qualified libraries or libraries whose expenditure categories change) can raise or lower the level of competition in a group. Until the peer groups stabilize over a couple of years, most edition-to-edition score changes will reflect group differences moreso than changes in library performance.

The ratings are published to recognize libraries whose comparative levels of service provision excel among their peers. Due to the (say) 'squishiness' of ratings, we publish the underlying statistics so that libraries can see how their data compare with other libraries.

Public Library Internet Access Survey

2008-2009 Survey Findings Released by ALA

Last week the American Library Association (ALA) released Libraries Connect Communities 3: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2008-2009, the third report from a multi-year survey program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The reports focus on access to public libary computing resources and services, connection speeds, technology training classes offered, and so on. The authors argue that public library computer access is valuable because it connects citizens (especially the disadvantaged) to information and vital services. At the same time, they acknowledge that information corroborating these actual uses is still inadequate. (The surveys have not gathered systematic data on specific technology services and resources that patrons use, nor the functions for which they use them.)

As with prior years' reports, the study concludes that, although the levels of public access technology services have increased steadily, demand outstrips supply. An especially valuable part of the ALA study is the current, national-level information on public library budgetary changes for 2008 and 2009.

In the view of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Internet access is indispensible because it provides the world's citizens with "life changing information and opportunties."

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