Fact Sheet 

Data Coordination and Analysis

FACT SHEET

As part of its responsibility under MGL, Chapter 78, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners collects and analyses financial, demographic, personnel and service information for public libraries throughout the Commonwealth.

Library data collected and distributed by the agency supports planning and evaluation of library services in every community, and supports the development of goals for the improvement of library services on a statewide basis.

PURPOSE AND PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Board has been collecting information from public libraries since its beginning in the 1890s. Today, data is collected, verified and analyzed for a variety of uses in the following areas:

Public Library Data Reports

Data collected from public libraries is used to evaluate and determine adherence to minimum standards in the State Aid to Public Libraries program and to provide standard data on significant performance measures relating to the quality and effectiveness of library service. The Annual Report Information Survey (ARIS) and the Financial Report (part of the State Aid to Public Libraries application) are the instruments used to collect data from public libraries. After all data has been checked and verified, reports are compiled and distributed to the public library community. These Massachusetts Public Library Data reports include: Education and Staffing, Salaries, Circulation and Holdings, Services, Financial Statistics Report, Summary Tables and Graphs Report, Municipality Rankings, Children's Services and Electronic Services. In addition, each spring, reports that highlight aspects of library data (Featured Reports) are produced.

Bi-monthly Public Library Fact Sheets are produced from infrequently collected data and distributed to the Massachusetts library community. In addition, unit staff prepare customized reports as requested.

Other Library Data Reports

Data is currently collected from academic libraries through a web-based survey developed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). School library surveys and reports are sent out annually by the Board. Special library surveys and reports are sent out  biannually and reports are posted on the agency's Web site.  Reports are produced from collected data for academic, special and school libraries.

State Data Report

Data from the Department of Revenue is used in the annual Municipal Pie...What's Your Library's Share? published by the Board.

All of the above mentioned reports are distributed in paper (except the Special Library Report) and are available on the Board's Web site in PDF format.

Federal Data Collection

Massachusetts is part of the Public Library Statistic Cooperative coordinated through the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS). The Board annually collects and submits data and participates in the State Data Coordinator program. Data is reviewed on the national level and a report is published annually by the IMLS. The data coordinator also participates in the NCES Academic Library Survey Program for academic libraries in Massachusetts.

Agency Data Coordination

The Board supplies to the Department of Revenue (for their Cherry Sheet Estimates) the estimates of local aid amounts of the State Aid to Public Libraries Programs.

Data Coordination and Analysis staff work with Board staff in the development of surveys, databases and statistical measures, providing technical assistance within the agency in support of program planning and evaluation.

AUTHORIZATION

Data Coordination and Analysis services are provided as part of the Board's statutory responsibilities under M.G.L., c. 78, § 19.