Neighborhood Level Public Library Service to Special Populations: a Review of Critical Data Needed for Optimal Service Provision 7 th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services 13 – 16 th August 2007

“Solving Library Problems with Geographical and Marketing Research” Christie Koontz, Ph.D. Florida State University College of Information Tallahassee, FL

Some preliminary definitions before discussion of the studies determining and verifying critical data…

There are 208,000 block groups in the US…a block group is ‘neighborhood geography’

Block Groups are comprised of up to 1000 people who share similar demographic characteristics

Demographic Variables Relevant to Library Use Available by Block Group Population; Sex; Race/ethnicity; Language spoken age; linguistic isolation; poverty Family life cycle; owner occupied housing; income; education; vehicles per housing unit

Demographic data is actual and potential customer data Actual customers are ‘users’ and potential customers are ‘non-users..’ Customers are segmented into markets to offer best opportunity for effective resource allocation. A market segment is a group of customers with shared wants and needs (& why block groups are useful.)

Library use statistics are actual customer data Visits Circulation Program attendance Reference questions Web hits In-library use

Often overlooked library data to use in conjunction with customer data Square footage of facility Distance to nearest library Hours open Year library service entered the community Registrant and user address data Geographic customer market area

Greeen and Yellow dots, users of two libraries.

What about those who do NOT check out books? Identify through demographics and in-library use studies

The studies …

GeoLib Projects Public Libraries Serving Areas of Poverty Project: Since individuals in poverty have few alternatives to information access, poverty level should be identified surrounding public library outlets (1997) Results: Findings used by the (then) Gates Library Foundation in first-year distribution of hardware and software, as well as by the American Library Association to argue for an alternative E- Rate distribution for public libraries

GeoLib Project/US Department of Education: Majority Minority Markets Use the Library Differently Project: Identification of US majority-minority library markets. Developed methodology to collect in-library use data, based upon indication use is different than majority (1996). Conclusions/Results: Majority/minority & low income markets use the library differently than traditional library markets. In-library use should be counted at the neighborhood level to provide this snapshot of use.

GeoLib Project: US Public Library Geographic Database (2002) Internet accessible database comprised of: library customer data, with built-in spreadsheet to import other and ‘overlooked data. Intended to be used for neighborhood level’ planning— currently desktop and free.

Need for US PLGDB: Local Level Quick access to standardized library-relevant data Public librarians at the local level need knowledge of changing customer characteristics available from US Census, for optimal provision of library services to use in conjunction with library use statistics These data are often difficult to access due to: lack of expertise in knowing where to access data; lack of knowledge of which US Census data to select; lack of knowledge of local GIS planning data

GeoLib/ALA Project Public Libraries Serving Linguistically Isolated (LI) ( ) Project to identify: LI public library markets Awareness by library staff of LI group served Most frequently spoken languages Effectiveness of services provided Barriers to use Most frequently used services

GeoLib/ALA & GeoLib/OCLC Projects: Pubic Library Facility Closure (2006; ) Project will identify: Flaws in national data set when used ‘geographically.’ How many US libraries close each year. When libraries close – how does closure affect the neighborhood served? What customer data trends are associated with. geographic markets which the closed libraries served? What ‘overlooked data’ can tell us about library closure.

Discussion: ….these Q & A are valuable at the national and local level Do the poor have adequate library service? *3 million people living in poverty not served by any library How do low income majority minority markets use the library? *They browse, congregate, ask questions and attend programs Is a free desktop planning tool to identify actual and potential markets (such as these) useful for market determination? *Practicing librarians are reticent to draw lines of estimated geographies served—against mission to ‘serve all’ What barriers to library service exist for linguistically isolated people? *Varies with ethnicity: lack of time, knowledge of library service; lack habit When libraries close who is affected—any of the groups above? Answers 2008.

Think globally…Act locally... Encourage practicing librarians to use or replicate the methodologies and results of national studies locally… How can we encourage practicing librarians to use market planning data and tools?

Provide these tools: National reports which are accessible and applicable to study participants and other practitioners--locally; Case studies that reach practitioners through media they consume—not research journals; Conference venues; A desktop database for local planning including situational tutorials; Other ideas?

“Solving Library Problems with Geographical and Marketing Research” Christie Koontz, Ph.D. Florida State University College of Information Tallahassee, FL