The Library's Contribution To The Community

Case Study in the St. Mary's Public Library

SOLS CONSULTANTS: Anne Marie Madziak & Margaret Scratch

DATE COMPLETED: September 28, 2000

1. PURPOSE

The Library’s Contribution to Your Community: a Resource Manual for Libraries to Document their Social and Economic Contribution to the Local Community was developed under the auspices of the Strategic Directions Council and the Southern Ontario Library Service by a Steering Committee representing the Ontario public library community. The basic premise of the manual is that libraries are better placed to receive adequate and stable municipal funding when they are able to document and communicate the value of their contribution to the community.

The St. Marys Public Library used The Library’s Contribution to Your Community in order to document the library’s significant contribution to the quality of life in St. Marys and its value as an important and vital municipal service, making it, therefore, worthy of ongoing municipal funding.

2. BACKGROUND

The St. Marys Public Library serves the Town of St. Marys, with a population of 5,600, as well as the residents of the neighbouring municipality of Perth South. The town has an unusually high proportion of residents over sixty-five and a highly educated population. The family income is approximately $54,000, and the unemployment rate is considerably lower than the provincial average. The population is 97% English speaking.

The St. Marys Public Library Board sees this study as an opportunity to measure, in concrete terms, that the St. Marys Public Library is essential to the well-being of St. Marys; and to reassure Municipal Council and taxpayers that money spent on library service is money well spent. While such an undertaking is always a worthwhile effort, it is especially valuable at a time when the St. Marys Library is embarking on a library automation project and expanding its information services through the use of the internet and online databases.

3. THE STUDY

3.1 Profile of the Library’s Services

The library is well used by the community with an annual circulation of 85,952 and an annual program attendance of approximately 4,000. Open 49 hours a week, the library offers a collection of 30,000 items for circulation; an extensive reference collection; public access to the internet; ongoing children’s programs; literacy tutoring for adults and a recently developed employment resource center. The St. Marys Library is currently automating the library collection and expanding information services through improved technology.

• The following social and economic benefits were investigated:

• Information services for personal decisions

• Lifelong learning

• Search for employment

• Satisfaction with the community as a place to live

• Support for the retail sector and local economy.

The library staff was very committed to this project. The primary contact for SOLS consultants was the Library CEO, Barb Taylor, with Board member, Marlene Macke advising and offering feedback on the study parameters and process. All staff members were involved in the collection of library use data during a sample week in the spring of 1999; as well, staff resources were used to input the responses to the community survey. Five library patrons agreed to be interviewed as key informants who could speak to particular benefits.

The findings in this report are the results of a thorough analysis of: responses to a community survey; in-house use statistics, e.g. reference questions and computer use; collection data; library financial records; and five key informant interviews.

Perhaps one of the most significant contributions the library makes in the day-to-day affairs of community residents is to provide information to assist with decision-making. The library provides affordable, accessible, reliable and confidential information. Consumer reports will be reviewed by residents about to make a major purchase; travel guidebooks will be borrowed by those planning a vacation; ‘how-to-manuals’ will be consulted by individuals attempting to do anything from writing a will to renovating their home; those needing to apply for unemployment insurance or a passport will look to government documents for advice; and students choosing a university or looking for a night school course can get the information they require at the library. The library is also the only way in which some members of the community can access information technology.

• 1 of every 3 (32.3%) survey respondents uses the library for information to assist in the decision-making process. Health and medical information lead the way at 47.5% followed by consumer information (34.3%), travel information (33.3%) and financial planning resources (17.2%)
• public opinion indicates enormous support for the library making this kind of information (particularly health/medical information) available
• questions related to personal decisions average 6 per week (or 300 annually)
• the health and medical collection consists of 469 items and is valued at $10,000; it accounts for 1,682 circulations annually
• the three most popular health books had circulated a total of 57 times at the time of the study, at a per use cost of $1.40. The retail value of the three ($80) multiplied by circulation represents a value of $4554.30 to the community.

IMPACT STATEMENTS

"Using the library means you can talk intelligently to your doctor."

"There’s nothing like the health system to make you feel powerless. The public library can give you back some of your power."

Frequently lifelong learning, which includes the process of learning and skill development, will contribute to specific occupational goals of the individual. It is necessary today for individuals to continuously upgrade their skills to remain competitive in the marketplace. In addition to occupational retraining, the library has a central role in what might be call "learning for leisure". From its inception the public library, historically referred to as the people’s university, has always been seen as a resource for anyone wanting to pursue learning outside the context of formal education.

• 1 out of 2 (47.5%) users report the library as a common source for information on a hobby or personal interest; 64.6% have made use of such materials in the last year.
• 74.7% of respondents believe it is very important that the library provide information related to a personal interest.
• Those who describe themselves as leisure readers often fit the profile of lifelong learners; 86% of the survey respondents borrow materials for leisure.
• 1,350 questions related to hobbies are answered annually. Further, there are many uses of a library’s collection that may not require direct staff assistance.
• Weekly, over 200 people come to the library to read, browse or consult resources without necessarily borrowing any materials; this amounts to approximately 15,000 in-library uses annually.
• In 1998 the library’s adult learning program provided 1,700 contact hours of literacy tutoring, 800 of which were provided by volunteers trained and supervised by the library.
• 1,788 people received internet training through the Community Access Program. This training represents a value of $11,175 to the community. The public library offers many people their only access to the internet and to some form of instruction. As more and more information (i.e. government) becomes available only via the internet, this kind of resource will only increase in importance to small communities. The public library is the primary institution providing computers and internet access to those who don’t have it in their homes.

IMPACT STATEMENTS

"The library contributes to better lifestyles for individuals and the community by providing information and promoting literacy and learning."

While there are many public agencies contributing to the search for employment, libraries are playing an increasingly important role in this area. Through an innovative partnership with Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), St. Marys Public Library is able to make a direct contribution by managing a collection of resources and providing job searchers with internet access to HRDC’s job listings

• The library’s print materials of assistance to job seekers consists of 26 titles and is valued at more than $500.
• The library has two computers dedicated to job searchers, one that provides access to the internet and to HRDC’s job bank, and a second one equipped with a word processing program for the writing of resumes and cover letters.
• These two computers are in almost constant use from the time the library opens until it closes every day; it is estimated that 3,000 people access one or other every year.
• The library’s adult learning program, which provides 1,700 hours of literacy tutoring annually, also serves to make those seeking employment more employable.
• 10% of survey respondents or a family member have used job search/ employment resources in the last year.
• 71.7% think it is very important that job search resources be available at the public library.

A wide range of community amenities are identified as contributing factors in residential satisfaction. Leisure and educational facilities, such as libraries are frequently cited. The public library’s important role in contributing to this sense of satisfaction is an important message to convey to local decision-makers. Residential developers also now consider the existence and quality of library service in a given community before deciding where to build. This seems to be particularly true for developments targeted to recent retirees and active seniors. In St. Marys, there is recognition on the part of Mayor Jamie Hahn that the public library is also a significant draw to industry and major employers looking to relocate in communities that will satisfy their employees’ cultural, recreational and educational needs.

• 76% of community survey respondents report being very satisfied or satisfied with their community as a place to live.
  

• 81% say the library is very important or important to their sense of satisfaction.
  

• Comments on a number of surveys attest to the fact that, for some, the library was a deciding factor in choosing to relocate to St. Marys.

"It wouldn’t be much of a community without a proper, up-to-date, modern library."

While the library’s economic contribution to the community may not be vast, it is nonetheless significant relative to a small local economy, and is not to be overlooked. Visits to the library made in conjunction with other activities, such as shopping can support local retail operations and may, in fact, contribute significantly to the continued viability of downtown. The library also contributes to the local economy as an employer and a purchaser of goods and services.

• Typically, as many as 80% of library users combine library visits with shopping.
• 19.6% (1 of 5) of St. Marys library users live outside the town of St. Marys; non-residents make approximately 6,000 visits to the St. Marys Library.
• As employer, the library pays $147,000 in salaries to 9 employees, all of whom live and spend money in St. Marys.
• As purchaser of goods and services, the library spends approximately $11,000 locally every year.
• In addition, the St. Marys Library is very successful at getting grants for special projects, e.g. in 1998 the library received $68,000 in grants, all of which was spent locally.
• Typically, the library contributes approximately $200,000, including grant monies, to the local economy.
• The library also supports local businesses by offering business information and free internet access and training, by involving local businesses in library programs, and by, on occasion, making direct referrals to local businesses, e.g. bed-and-breakfasts.

While not a focus of the study, the upcoming automation project of the St. Marys Library was referred to in both interviews and survey comments. The automation of the collection and the library’s increased connectedness to the worldwide information grid via high speed internet will necessarily improve access to information. An automated catalogue’s keyword access function, for example, makes it far easier for the public to find what they are looking for within the library’s collection. In addition, an automated collection management system makes the gathering and analyzing of collection use statistics by library staff far less burdensome than it currently is with a manual system.

There seems to be widespread understanding that automation is a necessary evolution of library service that will improve access to information and therefore assist in personal decision-making and lifelong learning without compromising personal service. It seems clear that, as an automated library, St. Marys will be of even greater benefit to the community.

3.7 Report to the Library

A comprehensive report to the St. Marys Public Library Board included documentation of each of the 5 benefit measures, and recommendations for a communication plan. Appendices to the report included the survey results, statistical data, key informant interview notes, a sample bookmark communiqué, and an example of a newspaper article that effectively portrays the London Public Library as a key partner in a learning community. An executive summary of the final report is being written by one of the SOLS consultants, with Municipal Council as the target audience.

3.8 Communicating the Results

Successfully communicating the benefits of library service is as important as identifying and documenting the benefits. A detailed communications strategy should be outlined, implemented and revised on an annual basis. The strategy will include:

• Annual objectives – to include key messages to be communicated
• Statistical and anecdotal information where appropriate to support key messages
• The most effective communication techniques
• A program schedule and an evaluation mechanism

The results of The Library’s Contribution to Your Community study provide the board and staff of the St. Marys Public Library with valuable data to support several key messages. The combination of quantitative and qualitative data included in this study can serve as a solid foundation of information suitable for a variety of situations and audiences. The strength of this approach is that it balances anecdotal with statistical, recognizing that while numbers persuade some decision-makers, others are more moved by stories and impact statements.

The most immediate target audience for the results of this study is the new Municipal Council. The executive summary, written with Council in mind, will highlight quantitative measures and will not include any impact statements or anecdotal information. The health and wellness resources bookmark is designed to make the general public more aware of the wide range of health and medical resources available at the library. While these resources are highly valued by those who use them, there is a sense that a certain segment of the population remains unaware of them. The intended venue for the bookmark is hospital and doctor’s waiting rooms, hoping they will reach not only the uninformed members of the public who have health concerns, but also any uninformed health care professionals. In this instance, impact statements by library users are an important part of the message.

The Communication Plan section of the final report offered sound principles that lead to successful communications strategies, a long list of communications techniques, and a few examples of key messages arising from the data. Also included was a checklist developed by the Canadian Library Association for its Advocacy Now program, as a communications evaluation tool.

4. OBSERVATIONS

In hindsight, the study attempted to measure too many benefits at once. The selection of two or three benefits would provide more of a focus to the study, but also make data collection much more manageable for library staff.

In-house user survey results reap more benefits than community surveys when it comes to documenting the use of the public library, both in terms of purposes for that use and resources accessed. Because St. Marys had recently done a user survey, we opted for a community one, necessarily limiting our ability to ask patrons about their use of the library.

In small libraries, it may be more appropriate to consider some or all of the 9 economic benefits collectively, rather than individually. This would allow for more impressive measures and, therefore, stronger messages.

The results were well received by the outgoing Library Board.

The results of this study will enable the Library Board to be more confident in the strategic planning exercise planned for the coming year, and offers some creative ways to approach a communications strategy.

It would have been far better had the automation now underway been accomplished before the study was undertaken. Data collection was an onerous task, in some cases almost impossible.

Based on our experience, I would encourage other small libraries to take advantage of this opportunity.

The SOLS staff members involved were unfailingly supportive. We could never have attempted such a project without them.

5. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

.1 On the study methods, how SOLS could assist your library in conducting a study or to order The Library’s Contribution to Your Community: A Manual for Libraries to Document their Social and Economic Contributions to the Local Community, contact the Director of Library Development,
Southern Ontario Library Service:

.2 On the St. Marys Public Library or a copy of the full report on the study, contact:

Barbara Taylor, CEO, St. Marys Public Library,
(519) 284-3346 or btaylor@post.library.on.ca
 

.3 On Library Advocacy Now! For the future of Canada’s libraries and librarians. contact:

The Canadian Library Association (613) 232-9625 or htpp://ww.cla.ca