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Governments
Public Library Survey PUBLIC LIBRARIES SURVEY
PURPOSE
To provide annual statistics on the status of public libraries in the United States. The Census Bureau collects the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) information for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The IMLS is authorized to collect these data under the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003.
COVERAGE
Public Libraries statistics collected by the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four outlying areas with approximately 9,100 libraries with approximately 17,000 individual outlets.
CONTENT
States report information about service measures such as users of electronic resources, Internet terminals, reference transactions, public service hours, interlibrary loans, circulation, library visits, size of collections, staffing, operating revenues and expenditures and number of service outlets.
FREQUENCY
Annually since 1988. Data collection begins in December and ends in August.
METHODS
Academic Libraries report data are collected over the Internet via a Web-based reporting system. The Web survey application includes a user guide explaining its features and operation, the data entry form and instructions, and an edit check tool. The Web survey was designed to minimize response burden, to improve the timeliness and quality of the data, and to require minimal or no edit follow-up for data problems.
At the state level and in the outlying areas, the PLS is administered by data
coordinators, appointed by each state or outlying area's chief officer of the
state library agency.
PRODUCTS
The IMLS provides the annual tabulations report and survey universe file that users can download from the Internet. Website data access tools include Compare Public Libraries and Search for Public Libraries. For additional information, visit the IMLS Library Statistics Program Web page.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Provides the core of statistics needed for current and historical analysis of public libraries and their programs.
USES
These data provide the only current, national descriptive data on the status of over 9,100 public libraries. They are used by federal, state and local officials, professional associations, and local practitioners for planning, evaluation, and policy making. These data are also valuable to researchers and educators for developing conclusions concerning the state of public libraries.
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are here: Economic Programs Overview
Governments
Public Libary Survey
Last revised: January 15, 2009
