The LRS Number

Overhead shot of children drawing images on large piece of paper.
March 2020

Climate change may be the theme of this year’s Earth Day celebration, but more and more, it is serving as a foundation for libraries.

Smiling young woman sitting on floor with laptop with ROI and graphics on wall behind her.
February 2020

A meta-analysis of findings from 38 previous library ROI studies found that, on average, the return value for public libraries is 4 to 5 times the amount invested.

Loneliness Reaches Epidemic Levels. Are Public Libraries the Cure?

February 2020

Libraries are not traditionally thought of as social spaces. Stereotypes of older women glaring over thick-rimmed glasses to shush talkative individuals pervade our pop-culture references. However, studies show that public libraries foster social support and decrease isolation. At a time when loneliness is being deemed a public health crisis in the United States, libraries are […]

How Libraries Help Students Evaluate Information in the Era of “Fake News”

January 2020

In the digital age, algorithms based on personal data allow information to find us as opposed to the other way around. Have we adequately prepared the next generation, who are predominantly accessing the world through social media platforms and search engines, to filter through the noise? In a 2019 survey of US secondary school librarians, […]

International survey shows large adult literacy gap between the more and less educated in the United States

January 2020

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) assesses adult competency on an international scale, using the Survey of Adult Skills. The survey assesses adults aged 16-65 on literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving in technology-rich environments. The OECD focuses on these three skills because they are necessary for full participation in society, relevant to a variety […]

2019 Colorado Health Survey finds that one in seven Coloradans needed mental health treatment but didn’t get it

October 2019

The 2019 Colorado Health Access Survey, administered by the Colorado Health Institute, found that “one in seven Coloradans (13.5%) say they have needed mental health treatment but didn’t get it.” This survey randomly samples 10,000 Colorado households every two years. In 2017, the percentage of Coloradans reporting they did not receive needed mental health treatment […]

The number of challenges reported in Colorado’s public libraries remains steady in 2018

September 2019

LRS’s latest Fast Facts report summarizes the results of our annual investigation into the materials and resources challenged in Colorado’s public libraries. This report details the number, type, and reasons for the challenges reported in the 2018 Public Library Annual Report. The information that public libraries provided about these challenges helps us track the attitude […]