Re: Empower, Inform, Enrich - Report on public libraries

The data at National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is what shows public library circulation increasing year over year.


Matthew R. Goldner
Product & Technology Advocate
OCLC, Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
614.764.6405
goldnerm_at_oclc.org
http://www.oclc.org  http://worldcat.org
 




-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Weinheimer Jim
Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 9:41 AM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Empower, Inform, Enrich - Report on public libraries

I checked in Bowker at http://www.ala.org/ala/research/librarystats/2009bowker.pdf

And on p. 2, they say:
"As America deals with a worsening economy, U.S. libraries are experiencing a dramatic increase in library card registration. According to a Harris Poll released in September, 68 percent of Americans had a library card, up 5 percent since 2006.

Survey results indicate that this was the greatest number of Americans with library cards since ALA started to measure library card usage in 1990. In-person library visits were are up 10 percent compared with a 2006 ALA household survey. Seventy-six percent of Americans had visited their local public library in the past year, compared with 65.7 percent two years ago."

I can't find anything more specific with this cursory glance, but I would think that if in-person visits are up, physical circulation of books is up, too. But, it may be that people are using the free web access to look for jobs and get some diversion.

James Weinheimer  j.weinheimer_at_aur.edu
Director of Library and Information Services
The American University of Rome
via Pietro Roselli, 4
00153 Rome, Italy
voice- 011 39 06 58330919 ext. 258
fax-011 39 06 58330992


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
> [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Goldner,Matt
> Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 3:24 PM
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Empower, Inform, Enrich - Report on public
> libraries
> 
> I had the same thoughts Jane. Two data sets I've seen show that public
> library usage has increased every year for 11 years except 1999 and that
> when GDP goes down usage really shoots up. Haven't started to read all the
> essays yet but look forward to the outcomes of this study.
> 
> Matt Goldner
> 
> 
> Matthew R. Goldner
> Product & Technology Advocate
> OCLC, Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
> 614.764.6405
> goldnerm_at_oclc.org
> http://www.oclc.org  http://worldcat.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
> [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Jacobs, Jane W
> Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 9:17 AM
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Empower, Inform, Enrich - Report on public
> libraries
> 
> This starts with one interesting premise:
> 
> *   How can we reverse the current trend of decline in library usage and
> grow the numbers using their local library?
> 
> I wonder if this is really true in the UK?  It seems that our experience
> in the US is that library use continues to rise, especially in a bad
> economy, when funding is cut.  Hence, even if there are "gross" declines
> in usage, would these be a reflection of cuts in hours and services
> (usage per hours of opening) and hence more declines in availability
> than usage?
> 
> JJ
> 
> **Views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent those of
> the Queens Library.**
> 
> Jane Jacobs
> Asst. Coord., Catalog Division
> Queens Borough Public Library
> 89-11 Merrick Blvd.
> Jamaica, NY 11432
> tel.: (718) 990-0804
> e-mail: Jane.W.Jacobs_at_queenslibrary.org
> FAX. (718) 990-8566
> 
> 
> 
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