Award News!

NH State Library receives national award

The New Hampshire State Library is pleased to announce that it has received a 2009 Keppel Award from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the U.S. Census.

The Keppel Award reflects the importance that the federal government puts on timely and accurate information about public libraries. It is given annually to state libraries that submit prompt, complete and high-quality public library data to IMLS.

Data from the public library surveys are used in many ways: to report timely, useful and high-quality data to the U.S. Congress, the states, other education policymakers, practitioners, data users and the general public; to provide consistent, reliable, complete and accurate indicators of the status and trends of public libraries; and to address high-priority library data needs.

In New Hampshire, gathered data is used not only by the State Library to assess services offered to its network of New Hampshire libraries, but also by local libraries themselves, who rely on this information for their budget preparations and planning.

“Tracking library statistics provides vital information not only about libraries themselves, but also about their communities,” said Michael York, New Hampshire state librarian. “By studying how their libraries are used, communities can make better-informed decisions as to how those libraries can continue to serve them well in the future.”

The New Hampshire State Library promotes excellence in libraries and library services to all New Hampshire residents, by assisting libraries and the people of New Hampshire with rapid access to library and informational resources through the development and coordination of a statewide library/information system; by meeting the informational needs of New Hampshire’s state, county and municipal governments and its libraries; and by serving as a resource for New Hampshire. For more information, visit www.nh.gov/nhsl.

Happy New Year!

As the new year begins, the assembling of your data from 2009 begins.  Many libraries are expecting that the data will help them quantify just how much busier in service measures and how much reduced in resources they were.

The NHSL plans to open the annual NH Public Library Annual Report (NHPLAR) data collection for 2009 by 01 March 2010, with the collection closing on 19 April 2010.  Any library which has not started their data entry by 31 March will be contacted with a reminder.  Watch for information online at http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/lds/public_library_stats.html  and/or on the NH Public Library Statistics Blog at http://nhpublibstats.wordpress.com/

Any questions or requests for assistance should be directed to Tom Ladd at NHSL, via e-mail at Thomas.Ladd@dcr.nh.gov or by phone at (603)419-0086.

All 2008 NH data files now available

19 August 2009 – The NHSL has now published all of the data files from the 2008 NH Public Library Annual Reports. The files, all in Excel format, can be found at http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/lds/public_library_stats.html.

First of the 2008 Public Library Statistics available – Professional Staff Data

13 August 2009 - The NHSL has begun to publish the data files from the 2008 NH Public Library Annual Reports, submitted by all but three public libraries this year. We thank them for their work which is represented in this data.

Go to the NHSL website (www.nh.gov/nhsl) and in the left rail select “site map”, then select “Statistics” – or follow this direct link = http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/lds/public_library_stats.html

Due to frequent requests for budget planning questions, we have first processed the Professional Staff Data.

Other files will follow shortly.

Tom Ladd, NHSL

New place to find PLS data

From Kim Miller, Management Analyst at IMLS:

IMLS is excited to announce that the Public Libraries (PLS) and State Library Agency (StLA) Survey data is now available on Data.gov.  Data.gov has a catalog of “raw” data available from agencies under the U.S. Federal Executive Branch.  “The purpose of Data.gov is to increase public access to high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.”

The IMLS datasets include PLS FY2004, FY2005, FY2006, and FY2007 and StLA Survey FY2006 and FY2007.  The datasets will be updated annually upon availability.

“Data.gov offers data in three ways: through the “raw” data catalog, using tools and through the geodata catalog.  The “Raw” Data Catalog provides an instant download of machine readable, platform-independent datasets while the Tools Catalog provides hyperlinks to tools that allow you to mine datasets.”   There is search capability by keywords, by single/multiple category, and by single/multiple agency.  The IMLS datasets are listed under the “Social Insurance and Human Services” single/multiple category.

Right now, PLS and StLA datasets appear on Data.gov in only the “Raw” Data Catalog. There is a link to “suggest other datasets” for anyone interested in asking to have PLS or StLA data included in the Tools Catalog.

A tool for using PLS data to compare public libraries can be found on the IMLS website, as can the same raw data files for PLS and StLA that are included on Data.gov. In addition, IMLS publishes reports for each fiscal year that summarize and tabulate survey data.

Use stats Q & A

A good question posted to the NHAIS-L discussion list recently:

We’re interested to know how (or rather, where) everyone counts computer use statistics.  Do you add them in with your total circulation stats or keep them separate?  Thanks for sharing!

Tom’s answer:

While you may, of course, count any way that you wish to in house, for the purpose of the state and federal library statistics report, these must be two separate items.

Circulation means items charged out for use outside the library.

Computer Use is of library computers used in the library.

This was discussed at some length at the national library statistics conference 2 years ago, as some ILS systems were apparently offering a computer sign-up function and then including it in circulation counts. This is specifically not allowed.

For those truly interested, I have included the official IMLS definitions below.

Tom Ladd, NHSL

Total Circulation: The total annual circulation of all library materials of all types, including renewals.  Note: Count all materials in all formats that are charged out for use outside the library. Interlibrary loan transactions included are only items borrowed for users. Do not include items checked out to another library.

Number of Users of Public Internet Computers Per Year: Report the total number of individuals that have used Internet computers in the library during the last year.  If the computer is used for multiple purposes (Internet access, word-processing, OPAC, etc.) and Internet users cannot be isolated, report all usage.  A typical week or other reliable estimate may be used to determine the annual number.  Sign-up forms or Web-log tracking software also may provide a reliable count of users.

Using stats, part two

photo by TheBusyBrain, flickr.com

Tom Ladd offers this sage advice:

“Beware statistics – when you use them to say one thing, your opponent may use the same statistics to “prove” something else!”

And, an example to keep in mind when comparing statistics:

FTE (full time equivalent) staff can be figured in a few ways. Some organizations define full-time as 35 hours a week, others use a different figure. For the NH State Annual Report, FTE figures need to be figured using the federal definition of 40 hours a week since the data you submit to the State Library is also submitted to the IMLS in Washington.

Be sure to make sure the data you are comparing has been calculated the same way!

Using stats, part one

The internship project related to this website also required a poster session, for which the following slideshow was created. It gives a very general overview of public library statistics, more for the novice than for those who have been filling out the annual survey for years.

Signature Page

If you missed printing out the signature page when starting the Bibliostat Collect survey, or if you need a fresh copy, here is a downloadable pdf file:

• nh08_signature

This page, with three signatures (Librarian, Board of Trustees Chair and Treasurer), is the piece that completes your survey for this year. Deadline to get the signature page to Tom Ladd is April 30, 2009.

I know what you did last week!

Many of you invested time in completing the annual report which is due today, 20 April. Your work is greatly appreciated.

Anyone with questions as you finish up today should feel free to contact Tom Ladd at 419-0086 or Thomas.Ladd@dcr.nh.gov .