The survey focuses on four main indicators of public library activity: visits, circulation, program attendance, and computer sessions. Both circulation and visits are trending downward since their peak; however, the PLS continues to show a ten-year increase in both measures.

• Physical visitation decreased by 8.2 percent since FY 2009 but is showing an increase over the prior ten-year period.
• Circulation has decreased by 3.6 percent since the FY 2010 peak, but has a ten-year increase of 25.4 percent.
• Program attendance continues to increase, 3.5 percent over FY 2012 and 28.5 percent over FY 2006.
• Computer usage in public libraries is decreasing, 333.9 million user sessions for a 9.2 percent decrease over FY 20ten. But since this figure does not include metrics for public library wireless and broadband services, IMLS is looking into adding measures to reflect this activity.

PLS has demonstrated a correlation between library usage and investments in collection, programs, computers, staff time, and expertise. After adjusting for inflation, the national trend is toward an increase in local government revenue and a decrease in state contributions. Funding and expenditures for public libraries appear to be stabilizing. However, spending on physical collections have declined 14.5 percent over the past ten years. Meanwhile, electronic collections have seen a 186.8 percent increase over the same time period.

While spending may be declining, print materials still comprise the lion’s share of public library collections. Electronic collections are growing. Public libraries reporting e-book collections increased by 14.6 percent over FY 2012.

Staff expertise is another area stabilizing and growing in public libraries. Overall staff levels stabilized in FY 2013. Half of public libraries reported having at least one MLS librarian on staff. The percentage of librarians on staff has increased over the ten-year mark by 6.1 percent.

With 97 percent of public libraries participating, the PLS is a reliable source of comparative library data. The survey has been collected since 1988. To see how your state or your library compares with others, use the Supplementary Tables or the Compare Tool provided by the IMLS. State-by-state reports are not available for FY 2013 data.

Resources

“Public Libraries in the United States Survey: Fiscal Year 2013,” Institute of Museum and Library Services, March 15, 2016.

Supplementary Tables

IMLS’ Compare Tool

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“These projects underscore the important role libraries play across the country in engaging all ages of learners and in providing access to content, in physical and digital form. We look forward to watching these projects evolve and develop new models, tools, and research that can be broadly adapted by the library profession,” said IMLS Acting Director Maura Marx in a recent press release. Projects cross a wide range of services and learning opportunities.

In Vermont, an early literacy initiative will increase STEM knowledge of twenty-five librarians through a National Leadership Grant. The funding will be available through a partnership between the Vermont Department of Libraries, the Vermont Center for the Book, and the Montshire Museum of Science. The librarians will learn about STEM concepts and how to use those ideas in programs for children, their parents and childcare providers.

The Free Library of Philadelphia will be developing a Prison Services project. Through the grant, families of the incarcerated will be able to share reading through televisiting. The project will also provide information on resources and temporary library cards on the day of release.

Librarian training opportunities and resources will also become available. Through the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, public librarians can expect to benefit from projects through the American Library Association. Watch for scholarship opportunities to attend World Library and Information Congress in Columbus, Ohio.

Additionally, the American Library Association is part of a joint project between Creative Commons, California State University System, and the Digital Public Library of America. This project will offer professional development opportunities for librarians.

An open source curriculum and training on web literacy skills and digital competencies will be developed. Watch for more on this project, offered by the Mozilla Foundation, in collaboration with The Technology and Social Change Group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington Information School.

The deadlines for FY2016 funding are fast approaching for the next round of federal grant opportunities. If your library has an innovative project on the back burner, now may be the time to look to IMLS grants to move it forward. Additional information about upcoming IMLS deadlines can be found on their Apply for a Grant webpage.

Resources

 “IMLS Announces 276 Grants, $14.16 Million for Libraries in the United States.” LJ INFOdocket. Accessed September 17, 2015

“IMLS Announces Grants of $14.16 Million for Libraries across the U.S.” Accessed September 17, 2015.

“National Leadership Grants for Libraries.” Accessed September 17, 2015.

 “Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries.” Accessed September 17, 2015.

The post Projects to Watch – IMLS Funds 276 Library Grants first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Open eBooks Initiatives is set to “make over $250 million in popular e-books from major publishers available, for free, to children from low-income families.” This will be accomplished through an app designed by New York Public Library, Digital Public Library of America, and First Book and funded by IMLS. The ConnecteED Library Challenge steps in by collaborating with 30 communities to ensure that every student has a library card and will be able to access these e-books.[1]

Not connected with this initiative, but a very timely piece, is Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times Op-Ed “The Power of Hope is Real.” Nicholas Kristof is a journalist who brings awareness to social injustice, global poverty, and economic struggles on a global and national landscape. He and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, authored Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide and, more recently, A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity. His latest addition to his regular column discusses hope and begs the question: “Could hopelessness and stress create a ‘poverty trap’ — abroad or here in the U.S. — in which people surrender to a kind of whirlpool of despair?”[2] Bringing in randomized studies and statistics, Kristof explains that one’s motivation and outlook on life can dramatically brighten when given a ray of sunshine (hope).

As librarians, we can all agree that a major perk of the job is helping people by introducing them to resources, websites, and books that can change their day, week, month, or even their life. Personally, as the Business Liaison Librarian, one of my favorite moments is when I teach a job seekers course to participants who feel overwhelmed and disgruntled with the job search process. However, after class they are now equipped with new search strategies, effective databases, and optimism. I know that you have similar stories too.

It’s in this spirit that the White House proposal with IMLS, Open eBooks Initiatives, and ConnectED Library Challenge is truly valuable. The inspiration, enthusiasm, and hope for the future that these students (and their parents) experience when they are introduced to a new world of literacy, education, and opportunity are what really matter.

Sources:

[1] “President Obama Announces Open EBooks and ConnectED Library Challenge.” Press Releases. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2015.

[2] Kristof, Nicholas. “The Power of Hope Is Real.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 May 2015. Web. 21 May 2015.

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The primary goal of Health Happens in Libraries is to increase the capacity of library staff  to respond to patron requests for information regarding the Affordable Care Act. Libraries are uniquely situated to help patrons sift through the information and point them in the direction of qualified, professional help. Librarians can take part in regular free webinars and other training opportunities through the program. Additionally, they may subscribe to news updates to keep abreast of trends and hot topics.

Health Happens in Libraries also provides librarians a chance to share their success stories so we can all generate new ideas for health programming. Check out out the Library Stories section – you’ll find tons of great ideas: http://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics/ehealth/library-stories.html.

References
[1]http://webjunction.org/explore-topics/ehealth.html

Further Reading
http://www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/OppForAll2.pdf

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My library system (Palm Beach County Library System) has two programs scheduled for September called Be Scam Smart. Tasha Carter, Director of the Division of Consumer Services under the Florida Department of Financial Services, will be leading an informative workshop for seniors, their families, and caregivers. The 90-minute workshop is part of Operation S.A.F.E. (Stop Adult Financial Exploitation) and will cover how to spot a scam, outsmart the scam artists, avoid identity theft, and more. Libraries are a valuable resource for patrons on many topics, and assisting senior citizens with keeping their finances and identity safe, is another opportunity for libraries to step up in our communities.

I encourage you to visit the FTC website and order their free folder with six articles and six bookmarks that you can display at your library. The materials are available in English and Spanish. It is possible to order more as needed. Maybe you do not have the time or resources to conduct a program, but you can link your library website (or blog) to the informational video that is also on their page. If your library has conducted a similar program, or you plan to conduct one, please reply in the comments section below with anything you feel is valuable to report to other library professionals. I believe we can all agree that it is unfortunate that rip-off artists exist, but it would also be unfortunate not to take advantage of these free resources to educate our local citizens.

The post Pass It On at Libraries to Help Seniors Avoid Scams first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The American Library Association recently published the 2013 Digital Inclusion Survey that supports this. The Digital Inclusion Survey—which was conducted by the American Library Association, the Information Policy & Access Center at the University of Maryland, and the International City/County Management Association, and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services—aims to explain “how public libraries help build digitally inclusive communities.” In a national survey conducted between September and November 2013, public libraries reported whether or not they provide public access to computers and the Internet, digital services, instruction for digital literacy, and tools for “civic engagement, education, health and wellness, and workforce/employment.”

The website (http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu/content/2013-digital-inclusion-survey-results-published) allows you to view results on an interactive map that allows you to search by library name or geographic area. This is especially interesting when seeing how public libraries compare on a national and state level. For example, when I compared the northern half and southern part of Illinois, the responses were pretty comparable in terms of Color Printing, Laptops, Internet, Scanners, Internet Skills, Online Learning, and Computer Skills. Yet there is a significant difference in the amount of computers available. In northern Illinois, there are over 2,000 computers at public libraries compared to less than 1,000 in southern Illinois. However, you can also see geographic demographics, so if there are significantly less people living in southern Illinois this may account for fewer computers.

Another interesting feature is the “State Details” tab that lets you see how a state measures up to the national response. Illinois public libraries are on par with the national average for educational programs and exceed the national average for summer reading. However, Illinois falls short by nearly 10% of the national average of “general familiarity with new technologies” and almost 4% of “mobile apps to access library resources and services.”

Nevertheless, the report is a refreshing reminder of the valuable services libraries offer. 98% of public libraries provide “some form of technological training to patrons” and 95% of public libraries provide assistance with employment resources. As a business liaison, this is particularly encouraging to read.

The Digital Inclusion Survey is a significant way to see how public libraries are excelling and where they are falling short. In our ever-changing digital world, these types of figures are so important for us to be aware of. If we want to continue to be vital resources to our communities, we need to be cognizant of how we can improve the resources and tools that are available at our libraries.

All of the facts and information in this essay were taken from the Digital Inclusion Survey website (http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu/content/2013-digital-inclusion-survey-results-published). Check it out to see the results from your library and/or geographic area. The 2014 survey will begin collecting data this September.

The post Surveying the Digital Inclusion Survey first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

In addition, the data files for FY 2012 are also now available. The data has been loaded into the Compare Public Libraries tool, which allows you to see how data from different libraries line up with one another. The tools allow you to limit the comparison based on similar libraries or specific variables: like geographic location, organizational characteristics, or operating revenue.

The public library data survey has been collected since 1988. This year the survey report includes 13 indicators of library activity: library visits, circulation, program attendance, computers and the Internet usage, reference transactions, library revenue, operating expenditures, collection, programs offered, public access computers, staffing, number and percent of librarians with an ALA-accredited MLS degree.

Notable trends and findings

Investment and usage

The FY 2011 study demonstrates for the first time a relationship between library investment and library use. Correlations are demonstrated between library resource indicators, like e-book volume and numbers of library visits. Another correlation was found between circulation and collection and program increases. Increases in staffing and programs are also shown to impact program attendance. The study indicates that revenue is a predictor for library visits, circulation, and program attendance.

Library visits

Library visits per capita continued to trend downward for FY 2011, down from FY 2010 by 3.6 percent. One reason for this may be the move toward online services, such as e-books. This metric does not include virtual visits, although the IMLS is looking for ways to measure this in the future.

Circulation

Circulation per capita decreased nationally for the first time in 10 years by 1.6 percent between FY 2010 and FY 2011. The study found a direct correlation between expenditures on collections and circulation per capita. This is something to consider when working with tighter budgets. A decrease in the collection budget may be easier to implement than a staffing decrease, but may result in decreased overall usage.

Roughly one-third of public library circulation is children’s materials, similar to previous years. It will be interesting to see whether this trend continues as fewer new juvenile nonfiction and audio materials are available in physical formats.

Programming

The study shows a strong, continued increase in program attendance and numbers of programs offered by libraries nationally. Program attendance per capita was up 2 percent from the previous year. The statistic shows an eight-year increase in these indicators, limited only by the time the data has been collected. Growth in this library service area will impact library spaces and the need for trained staff to provide quality programs.

Public computing

Nationally, public computer user sessions per capita decreased by 7.9 percent from the prior year. However, this statistic does not necessarily show a decrease in the need for public access computing. Rather, it may be a signal of a change in how libraries deliver this service. Wireless usage of non-library devices is not included in this statistic, so keep this in mind when you are working with this data. The IMLS plans on analyzing this metric in the future.

The Public Libraries in the United States Survey report is very dense, but worth the time and effort to read and analyze. In a time that emphasizes accountability in government, library leaders will find the information useful in communicating to stakeholders how their library usage compares with national and state trends. With the demonstrated correlation between library investments and usage, leaders have a responsibility to their patrons to articulate how a library’s funding plays a key role in its success and overall value.

The data is collected each year on a voluntary basis. Currently 97 percent of U.S. public libraries are participants. If your library does not currently participate, contact your state library agency to learn how you can contribute to the FY 2014 data survey.

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