Southern Ontario Library Service

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The Library's Contribution To The Community

Case study in the Barrie Public Library

SOLS CONSULTANTS: Peter Abbott, Anne Marie Madziak

DATE COMPLETED: February 11, 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 Barrie Public Library used The Library’s Contribution to Your Community in order to document the extent to which the library contributes to the quality of life in Barrie and to communicate that value as justification for the spending of tax dollars on library service.

2. BACKGROUND

The history of the Barrie Public Library dates back to 1854, when a Mechanics’ Institute was founded. Its purpose was "intellectual and scientific improvement, by means of a library, reading room, museum, lectures and classes". In 1996, the Canada Infrastructure Program was used to build a new $7.5 million central library, complete with reading garden, with $1 million of the funds being raised by the community.

The province of Ontario has designated Barrie as a key market growth area, one of only three in the province. Barrie leads the nation in percentage of growth on a per capita basis and it was the fastest growing city in the country between 1981 and 1991. The present population, based on 1996 census, is 79,191. Approximately 8% of the population is of pre-school age, 14% is elementary school age, 7% is secondary school age, 60% is adults and 11% is seniors. It is estimated that by the year 2021, the city will have grown to a population of 155,000.

3. THE STUDY

.1 Profile of the Library’s Services

Currently, the Barrie Public Library has approximately 57,000 members. In 1997, over 1,079,000 items were circulated and library staff responded to over 70,000 information requests. According to Canadian Public Library Statistics 1997, a publication of the Council of Administrators of Large Urban Public Libraries, the Barrie Public Library is the second busiest in Canada. Currently, Barrie Public Library is open 62 hours a week and, in addition, offers remote access through the library’s website and automated holds and renewal system very active in providing outreach services, and participates in a variety of community events
committed to information support for business as an intentional part of the library’s strategy for serving the community.

.2 Focus for the Investigation

The Barrie Public Library chose to investigate the following 3 benefits as those most applicable to demonstrating the library’s social and economic contributions to the community:

Information Services to Local Businesses
Lifelong Learning
Satisfaction with the Community as a Place to Live.

.3 Community Resources

The Board and staff of the Barrie Public Library were very committed to this project. SOLS consultants met with the Chief Executive Officer, the Head of Information Services, and the Head of Children’s Services on a number of occasions, as well as with a committee of the Library Board. Considerable staff resources went into gathering information, conducting the survey, organizing focus groups and key informant interviews, and providing valuable feedback to the consultants throughout the process.

.4 The Scope of the Investigation

The library supplied statistics on library visits, circulation, reference assistance, computer use, website/ remote access use, outreach services, and program attendance the library supplied information on its collection holdings and materials budget relevant data from the 1999 staff deployment study conducted by Barrie Public Library provided some value figures for public service ‘transactions’ an in-house survey of Barrie Public Library users was conducted; the same survey was used with business users SOLS consultants conducted 4 focus groups and 3 key informant interviews with groups and individuals identified by library staff.

.5 Making the Case

.5.1 Information Services to Local Business

Key Learnings:

Use of the Barrie Public Library for reasons "connected to job or self operated business" was indicated by 35.5% of survey respondents; this is higher than typically reported on library user surveys in other public libraries.

Materials and services related to the support of starting a business and business planning were identified as extremely important, even vital, to the success of new businesses in Barrie.

The extent of support for business available at the library is better known to those exploring a new business opportunity than it is to those already established in the business community.

The majority of business users of the library reported being extremely satisfied or satisfied with library services.

Impact Statements:

"Without a good library in the community a lot of us who run businesses from our home would be sunk."

"I don’t want to have to buy all the books I need to consult for my work. I’d be bankrupt. I borrow twelve books at a time."

Summary of Findings:

Information Collected	Source	Findings
library holdings supporting business practices and plans - including books, periodicals and electronic	collection data	5,616 titles on all aspects of running a business
sample of 10 business titles from collection to give example of "value added" outcomes for acquisitions.	acquisition data circulation statistics	Average library discount cost per title = $24.01 Average circulation so far = 19.1 Average retail cost = $26.41 Net value for patrons for each of these 10 items is $504.43. Total net value to patrons for these titles is $72,590. value added over total materials cost of $2,854 = $65,703 for these 10 items. Total materials cost ($288) divided by total circulations (191) = per use cost of $1.50
circulation of material about business	circulation statistics	19,475
number of program contact hours devoted to business people. i.e. number of person hour direct contacts	program statistics	216 value at $50 per contact hour - $10,000
Number of business users accessing Internet at the library	extrapolated from sample	of the total 22,991 electronic searches, 3,149 are estimated as business work related
Estimate value of library information available to local business Dollar value of combined collection: Businesses Periodicals Electronic Sources	1999 budget & expenditures	$22,000.00 $ 1,866.69 $ 4,988.00 Plus staff time $1,219.68 Plus Internet access costs $3,000.00 Total: $33,074.37
number of home based businesses in the communities		4,500
number of business users who are operating home based businesses	user survey	22% of respondents
satisfaction with library services among those using it for work or business related purposes	user survey	Of those respondents indicating that they use the library for business, 73% indicated 1 or 2 in a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being extremely satisfied with the services of the library.
perceived importance of library among those using it for work or business related purposes	key informant interviews focus groups and survey	the resources to support those starting businesses is considered extremely important Those who use it for business purposes depend on specific parts of the resources but it is considered to be not well promoted in the business community.

.5.2 Lifelong Learning

Key Learnings:

For Barrie Public Library users, information on a hobby or personal interest is one of the most common reasons they use the public library.

Because learning is personal and defies categorization, lifelong learners make use of a broad range of library services, including the collection, the internet, staff assistance, and library programs.

When asked why the public library was important to their satisfaction with their community as a place to live, the majority of respondents gave reasons that made a direct link between the public library and access to reading materials that enrich everyday life and promote lifelong learning.

Lifelong learners are among the most passionate library advocates.

Impact Statements:

"I couldn’t afford to go to university. I’ve used the library for my own studies."

"My husband and I adopted children. I used the library extensively to learn all about it beforehand."

"My sister attempted suicide twice. I read a lot about depression, which helped me know how to help her. I couldn’t have done that without the library. I also joined an association that provides support for people like me, trying to help loved ones. People who’ve been there themselves, they’ve been through what I’m going through and can offer support. The library was the link to that association."

Summary of Findings:
22,991 searches in total "I depend on the library to have what I need to figure out how to do almost anything that comes up - when the kids are sick when there is tree gum in their hair.."

Information Collected	Source	Findings
Reason for using the library	user survey	56% respondents described "information on a hobby or general interest" as the most common reason for using the library; 82% borrow adult materials for pleasure
number of retraining/skills development programs	program statistics	81 adult library tours and Internet workshops offered Approx. 12 Internet
number of retraining/skills development program hours/program attendance	program statistics	Total attendance- 1,941 Internet workshop attendance - 192
contact hrs on specific information requests	staff deployment analysis	Annual direct staff time assistance for specific information requests = 3,762 hours. At commercial research costs of $75, value to patrons = $282,150. Value added over staff costs of $142,491 = $139,659
hours of information technology assistance value per contact hour of assistance Value added over staff time	staff deployment analysis	staff hours of contextual information technology assistance = 1,056 staff contact hours. At $50 commercial rate for technical support value to users = $51,900. Value added over staff cost of $22,801 = $29,099
users’ perception of importance of internet access	user survey	59.4% of survey respondents saw it as very important or important that the library provide computers for access to the internet
circulation of materials on self-improvement, how-to, computers	circulation data	Computers – 6,499 (000) Self – improvement- 26,405 (150, 610- 620) BASIC BOOK circulation- 1,119 How to – 150,704 (330,400,510,600,700)
literacy programs or program support	program statistics	276 children’s programs offered in 1998 which were literature based – "storytimes" 7,551 – 1998 total attendance
periodicals to support lifelong learning	collection statistics	160 - total number of periodicals
circulation of periodicals to support lifelong learning	circulation statistics	30,314- total circulation
internet searches	library statistics
in-house use of library materials	library statistics	243,649 items
users perception of and support for the role played by the library in contributing to lifelong learning	feedback from participants/in-house survey and focus groups

.5.3 Satisfaction with the Community as a Place to Live

This measure was modified to comprise the two closely related measures of Sense of Community and Satisfaction with the Community as a Place to Live.

Key Findings

The visible, well-placed physical presence of the Barrie Public Library is seen as a significant asset to the community, valued by Barrie residents; even non-users expressed appreciation of the library as a rich community resource.

Barrie Public Library is viewed as a place to meet people and get to know the community, especially for newcomers; this role of the library is not to be under-estimated, given Barrie’s designation by the Province as a key market growth area.

Comments from users completing the survey indicate that the library is seen as an important source of community information.

The Barrie Public Library is an important part of community life for many residents: 51% of users visit the library at least once a week and an additional 30% visit once every two to three weeks.

Impact Statements:

"Frankly, I can’t imagine living anywhere without a library."

"My community is the people I know through activities like sports and the library’s children’s programs. I think I know only three people in my so called neighbourhood."

Summary of Findings:

Information Collected	Source		Findings
visits to the library	annual statistics		664,264
number of residents who visit the library in a year	extrapolated from user survey - frequency of use		over 55,000 individuals – or more than half the population – visit the library in the course of a year
items circulated through outreach programmes	annual statistics		VLS Visiting Library Service to shut -ins – 5,189 Children’s book blocks to Barrie Municipal Non-Profit Housing Authority – 1,201 Children’s book blocks to Women and Children’s Shelter - 50 Children’s Book Blocks to Barrie And District Association for People with Special Needs Playgroups- 180
Total attendance Total hours of programming Total contact hours	Program statistics		ADULT: Total attendance 274 Contact hours 1,995 YOUNG ADULT: Total attendance 14 Contact hours 28 CHILDREN: Total attendance 9,863 Contact hours 31,523 TOTALS: Total Attendance 10,151 Total contact hours 31,523
outreach services provided	annual statistics		bulk loans to playgroups, reading circles, nursery schools (not gathered for teachers) storytime kits (books, glove puppets, music tapes, rhyme cards) to assist in the provision of storytimes/reading circles outside the library book selection for shut-ins staff visits/storytimes to local nursery schools, reading circles, schools, upon request sporadic participation in individual community events when invited, such as business fairs, school carnivals, Promenade Days (street closed for July 1 celebrations, storytelling as part of free waterfront program series, puppetry for Raising Spirits at the MacLaren (local art centre haunted house)
numbers served by outreach	annual statistics		40 – 50 active VLS customers 5-6 non-profit housing groups with 386 units.
community programmes offered in partnership	scan of community		Law/business /investing programs- see business information author readings with support of local independent bookseller in downtown core who would sell copies of the book and advertise at his store. See outreach
remote access to the library’s website/automated holds & renewal system	library statistics	total number of remote access contacts = 110,282 in 1999.
library as factor in users’ satisfaction with the community as a place to live	user survey	71% survey respondents rank the library as very important or important to their household’s satisfaction with the community as a place to live
perceived value of the library as a focus for social interaction	focus groups key informant surveys	"the library is a meeting place that helps preserve community"
perceived contribution of the library to the community’s well being	focus groups key informant interviews	"it keeps people coming downtown - they get comfortable / familiar, and then they want to come back to use other services"
Use of community information perceived value of community information	user survey	48% library users reported getting information about community events and activities from the library 42% reported getting information about local history and/or genealogy 51.2% respondents view the provision of community information as very important or important 51% see providing information on the community’s history as very important or important the provision of historical information was seen as important because it fosters a better understanding of the community

.6 Report to the Library

A comprehensive report included documentation of each of the three benefit measures, and recommendations for a communication plan. Appendices to the report included the survey results, statistical data, focus group and key informant interview notes, 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 was written by one of the SOLS consultants, aimed at Municipal Council as the target audience.

.7 Communicating the Results

Successfully communicating the benefits of library service is as important as identifying and documenting

.6 Report to the Library

.7 Communicating the results

Successfully communicating the benefits. Libraries communicate most effectively when they consider the messages they wish to deliver, and the target audiences for those messages, as part of the Board’s annual objectives. This ensures that all of the library’s activities, including communicating the role, importance, and benefits of the public library, are coordinated to best advantage. Messages further the intended future directions outlined in the library’s strategic plan, and relate to the library’s mission.

The results of The Library’s Contribution to Your Community study provide the board and staff of the Barrie Public Library with adequate data to support several key messages for some time to come. The combination of quantitative and qualitative data included in the manual 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 was Municipal Council. The executive summary, written with Council in mind, highlighted quantitative measures and did not, therefore, include any impact statements or anecdotal information. The campaign to garner support for the library’s planned giving program, on the other hand, will make extensive use of the statements and stories that document the library’s considerable contribution to the community as a social institution.

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

.1 Time Committed to the Project

Steps	Responsibility	Hours

1. Select Focus	Library/SOLS	3
2. Identify Resources	Library/SOLS	2
3. Identify Scope	Library / SOLS	1
4. Make the Case
.1 Survey design survey instruments administer survey(s) enter data run & analyze data	SOLS /Library Library Library SOLS	6 10 16 15
.2 In-house data Assemble Library data analyze data	Library SOLS	10 2
.3 key informant interviews and focus groups identify participants conduct & write-up interviews	Library SOLS	12 24
.4 Document results determine format for presentation write up results	SOLS SOLS	2 12
5. Communicate Results prepare communication plan write executive summary of final report communicate results	SOLS SOLS Library	8 5 1
6. Write up Case Study Report	SOLS	7

.2 Observations by SOLS Consultants

The decision to focus on only three benefits was an important factor in the success of the project.

The insistence on quantitative measures, on the part of the board committee, challenged the consultants to find new measures for documenting all three benefits.

In two cases, these new values were only possible because the Barrie Public Library had done a staff deployment study earlier the same year; any revision to The Library’s Contribution to Your Community: A Resource Manual should include alternative ways of calculating these values.

.3 Library’s Observations

Establishing a financial value for the services of the library is vital in the presentation of factual/ number related documentation to funders of the library whether they be municipal council or sponsoring organizations.

The economic contribution of the library goes beyond resources to include the economic value of staff and their expertise in providing services. The manual needs to include ways and means of calculating these values.

Third party participation is vital in enhancing the message of the study beyond the library walls.

The library will be investigating an ongoing method for collecting testimonials on a regular basis instead of relying on chance exchanges between staff.

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

Email
Telephone	416-961-1669 (press 0), 1-800-387-5765
Fax
SOLS Route/Mailing

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

Adele Kostiak, CEO, Barrie Public Library, (705) 728-1010 ext. 7500 or akostiak@city.barrie.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 www.cla.ca