Every year the Public Library Association (PLA) sponsors a Public Library Data Service statistical report. It collects information from more than 800 public libraries across the United States and Canada on finances, library resources, annual use figures and technology. It is strictly voluntary and as such, not scientific. But, The Des Moines Public Library has participated from the start because the information we can get about peer libraries is informative and valuable. We compile most of the figures for reports that aren’t voluntary so we don’t re-invent the wheel, as they say, every year when we complete the survey.
For years the survey came in a wide, spiral bound volume with reams of spreadsheets that can look a bit daunting. Now, the survey can also be purchased electronically allowing quick sorts on just about any kind of data.
The Des Moines Public Library has reduced hours significantly in response to reduced staffing necessitated by budget cuts. Both the Des Moines City Council and the Des Moines Register have advocated using volunteers to staff our libraries and restore lost hours. The library board and administration, with trepidation, are carefully examining the possibilities.
So, how does the DMPL compare to our peers around the country? Using the PLDS database, I quickly identified five other libraries with a central library and five branches. All had operating budgets within 15% of Des Moines’, two a little lower, three a little higher. There are two in Florida, and one each in California, Ohio, and Washington.
The average number of hours the central libraries in these systems are open is 60.66; the range is 52-65. The DMPL central library averages 61 hours per week. The average number of hours branch libraries are open in the six systems is 42.06; the range is 34-50. The DMPL branches average 45.4 hours per week. Two of these library systems have no buildings open on Sunday at all. Two, like Des Moines, have one building open Sundays during the school year. One system opens two buildings on Sunday during the school year and just one of the six library systems has one building open on Sundays year round.
When it comes to programs for children and teens, however, the Des Moines Public Library has no peer in this group. In the month of December, the DMPL has scheduled 68 programs for children, including 43 story times, and 22 programs for teens. The peer libraries average 28.4 programs for children in December, none for teens.
What does this tell us? It tells us that of the six libraries (that voluntarily participated in the Public Library Data Service survey) with a central library and five branches and the most comparable budgets, Des Moines Public Library buildings are open slightly more than average. The range is not that great and there are no benchmark studies to follow. This is what each library has determined it can do with the resources it has. It also tells us that of these peer libraries the DMPL has devoted greater resources to children and teens: precisely where our community surveys have shown us our citizens want us to direct our focus.
