http://www.lrs.org/ Research and Statistics about Libraries - Public en-us http://www.lrs.org/blog/rss.xml Based on interest expressed at the May 2008 Colorado Public Library Directors (CPLD) meeting, a survey was developed by LRS and distributed by James LaRue (Director of Douglas County Libraries) through the CPLD email list. The purpose was to assess existing hardware, software, and personnel costs associated with existing integrated library systems (ILS) in public libraries, as well as gauge interest in a statewide consortial ILS. The results of this survey are now available at: http://www.lrs.org/technology/ils/.

Links on the page include:
* Public Library ILS Survey Results Summary
* Survey Report and Results
* Open Source ILS - CO Libraries Task Force
* What's with all this ILS talk?

~Nicolle
steffen_n@cde.state.co.us http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=240 From ChildStats.gov, "The annual report profiles the status of the nation's children and youth, presenting up-to-date federal statistics in one convenient reference. The National Center for Education Statistics in the Institute of Education Sciences is one of the 22 federal agencies that participate in the Forum [Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics] and contribute to the report. The report documents that mathematics and reading scores of fourth and eighth graders have increased, but shows as well that the adolescent birth rate and the proportion of infants born at low birthweight have also risen. The report also includes indicators on child poverty, health care, housing, and at-risk behavior."

Key links:
America's Children at a Glance: http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/glance.asp
Education: http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/edu.asp
Complete report: http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/index.asp

~Nicolle
steffen_n@cde.state.co.us http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=239 2007 Public Library Statistics are now available for libraries in Colorado. Public libraries throughout the state completed their portions of the 2007 Public Library Annual Report this spring, and we have now completed state and federal edit checks to ensure the quality of the data.

Check out the stats at http://www.lrs.org/pub_stats.php.

Zeth
lietzau_z@cde.state.co.us http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=237 This latest issue of Fast Facts compares libraries districts to their non-district peers to determine if they continued to show strong financial stability since the budget cuts of 2002. And if library districts have increased their funding more than non-district libraries, have they also increased the utilization of their resources and materials more than the other library types?

See the Fast Facts article here: http://www.lrs.org/documents/fastfacts/260_PL_districts_jur.pdf

Comment on the article here: http://www.lrs.org/blog/

Jennifer French
Senior Research Analyst
Library Research Service
http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=235 Summer reading programs are an integral part of public library culture, and many libraries strive to serve all ages including children, young adults, and adults. Some fun facts about summer reading include:

and#8226; In the summer of 2007, nearly 205,000 Colorado children participated in summer reading at their public library. In fact, over the past 10 years, approximately 1.5 million participants registered for summer reading programs at Colorado public libraries.

and#8226; Children in every income group who read six or more books over the summer gain more in reading achievement than children who do not.

and#8226; On average, children from low-income families lose nearly three months of grade-level equivalency during the summer months each year, compared to an average of one month lost by middle-income children.

and#8226; Despite some studies that claim teenagers are reading less than ever before, in January 2005 the Gallup organization asked 1,078 teenagers, ages 13-17 about the books they read for pleasure over the last six months. 82% said they had read at least one book.

and#8226; Libraries have used blogs as a platform for presenting adult summer reading programs to their patrons. The creator of Maggie Reads (http://www.maggiereads.blogspot.com) notes that in the summer of 2007, her first blog-based reading challenge prompted comments by over 80 bloggers in the community.

The Colorado State Library provides additional summer reading resources for libraries at:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/SummerReading/

Sources (in order of being quoted):

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/SummerReading/Downloads/pdf/SummerReadingPressRelease_CSL.pdf

http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/research.htm

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/SummerReading/Downloads/pdf/PreventSummerSetback_English08.pdf

http://sdkrashen.com/pipermail/krashen_sdkrashen.com/2005-July/000182.html

Maggie Moran. (2008). Reading + blogging: One perfect adult summer reading program. Mississippi Libraries, 72(1), p. 6-8.
http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=234 The latest Fast Facts explores Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) literacy-enhanced programing in 13 public library jurisdictions in Colorado. The Fast Facts concludes, "Through training, advocacy, and ongoing support, Colorado's libraries are working collaboratively to foster and promote early literacy to benefit residents in all areas of the state."

Fast Facts: http://www.lrs.org/fastfacts/index.php?year=2008

~Nicolle
steffen_n@cde.state.co.us
http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=232 "Librarianship as viable career" is the liveliest discussion we've seen on libnet in awhile. Obviously many of us feel passionately about being librarians and have strong opinions about the value of an MLIS degree.

Of course, at the LRS we'd like to capture some of these opinions. Help us out by answering a few short questions about this hot topic at: http://surveys.lrs.org/respond.php?sid=31.

This anonymous 60-second survey is intended to capture your gut-reaction to questions about the value of an MLIS degree and its impact on employment opportunities.

Survey at: http://surveys.lrs.org/respond.php?sid=31

Nicolle and Zeth
Library Research Service
Colorado State Library
www.LRS.org http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=231 Librarians working in public libraries may be interested in the newest Field Initiated Study (FIS).

The Programming Policies and Evaluation FIS includes a summary of responses from two Libnet inquiries regarding public library programming policies and evaluation procedures. It provides examples of actual policies and evaluation forms used at a variety of public libraries in Colorado.

For more information, please click the title above or visit our Field Initiated Studies section.


-Amanda
arybin@du.edu

http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=229 ALA released this week the first in a series of reports about technology in U.S. libraries. The "Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study 2006-2007 Report," gathered data from multiple sources, including national and state surveys, and focus groups.

According to the summary, researchers identified three significant themes:
and#8226; Technology has brought more and#8211; not less and#8211; library use;
and#8226; Library infrastructure (space, bandwidth and staffing) is being pushed to capacity; and
and#8226; There is a growing need for technology planning and dedicated technology support.


Press release: http://ala.org/ala/pressreleases2008/april2008/ORSconnectivityreports.cfm
Report: http://www.ala.org/ala/ors/plftas/0607report.cfm
More about the study: http://www.ala.org/ala/ors/plftas/pullibfunandtechaccstudy.cfm

~Nicolle
steffen_n@cde.state.co.us http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=228 Librarians working in school, academic, special, and public libraries may be interested in the newest Field Initiated Study (FIS).

This study includes two documents, compiling resources about the responsible disposal of library materials. The Recycling in Libraries document includes a summary of the responses from three Libnet inquiries regarding weeding and disposal policies at public, school, academic, and special libraries. The Weeding document is a list of resources collected for Library People, Coloradoand#8217;s statewide friends group.

You may click on the titles above or see our Field Initiated Studies section for more information.

-Amanda
arybin@du.edu http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=227 Released each year as part of National Library Week, ALA's 2008 State of America's Libraries report covers trends in school, public, and academic libraries, as well as specific issues like outreach and diversity, legislation, and intellectual freedom.

Report webpage: http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/presscentera/piopresskits/2008statereport/2008statehome.cfm
Full report: http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/presscentera/piopresskits/2008statereport/draft-0001c-press.pdf
Press Release: http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2008/april2008/2008statereport.cfm

~Nicolle
steffen_n@cde.state.co.us http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=224 Preliminary statistics from the 2007 Colorado Public Library Report are now available. Most libraries have completed the report, and more edit checks will be run on the data in the next few months, but you can access the data now at http://www.lrs.org/public/stats.php?year=2007. Enjoy!

Zeth
lietzau_z@cde.state.co.us http://www.lrs.org/blog/viewitem.php?post=223