Closer Look Studies

Change in School Librarian Staffing Linked With Change in CSAP Reading Performance, 2005 to 2011

January 2012

In the September 2011 issue of School Library Journal (SLJ), we presented a national analysis of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) state-level data on librarian staffing and fourth-grade reading scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The results from this study indicated that states that gained school librarians from 2004-05 to 2008-09 …

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Colorado Talking Book Library Patron Satisfaction Survey Report, 2010

June 2011

The Colorado Talking Book Library (CTBL) provides free library services to Coloradans of all ages who are unable to read standard print materials due to physical, visual, or learning disabilities. CTBL provides recorded books and magazines, Braille materials, large print books, and a small collection of descriptive videos. CTBL serves around 7,000 active individual patrons …

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U.S. Public Libraries and the Use of Web Technologies, 2010

April 2011

It’s well known that technology is changing at an increasingly rapid pace and that many public libraries throughout the United States are attempting to adopt new technologies to better reach their patrons. In trade journals, blogs, and at library conferences, professionals in the field have continually discussed the best methods for using web technologies to …

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The Impact of the Recession on Public Library Use in Colorado

March 2011

Coloradans are continuing to experience tough economic times as they recover from the latest recession. In the absence of consumer confidence and aggressive investment in the private sector, spending and associated tax revenues are also down. This, in turn, is putting extraordinary pressure on the public sector at state and local levels. City councils, county …

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School Librarians Continue to Help Students Achieve Standards: The Third Colorado Study (2010)

November 2010

Known links between stronger school library programs and better Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) scores are confirmed by a recent examination of 2007-08 data on school libraries and 2008 data on students scoring proficient or advanced on CSAP reading. In addition, stronger library programs were also associated with reduced percentages of students receiving unsatisfactory CSAP …

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Public Libraries – A Wise Investment: A Return on Investment Study of Colorado Libraries

March 2009

In spring 2006, a need was identified in Colorado to describe the variety of benefits delivered by public libraries to their patrons and to quantify the return on investment to taxpayers for monies invested in public libraries. To provide this data, the Library Research Service (LRS) undertook What’s It Worth to You? A Return on …

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How Academic Libraries Help Faculty Teach and Students Learn: The 2005 Colorado Academic Library Impact Study

February 2006

From March to May 2005, a study concerning academic library usage and outcomes was conducted by the Library Research Service in association with the Colorado Academic Library Consortium. The primary objectives of the study were to gain a greater understanding of how academic libraries help students learn, and to assess how libraries assist instructors in …

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Retirement, Retention, and Recruitment: The Future of Librarianship in Colorado

September 2004

There is much discussion in the library community—nationwide and in Colorado—about a large wave of “baby boomer” retirements that has already begun, and that will be changing the face of librarianship—literally—over the next five to ten years. During the last quarter of 2003, 1,241 Colorado librarians and other library workers responded to a voluntary statewide …

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