AN INTERESTING COMPARISON

Library Administrator's Digest, Feb 2004 by Robinson, Charles W

The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County is in the process of strategic planning, and the January edition of its newsletter, Happenings, details some of the considerations the committee is facing. As in every single library in the nation, the public wants better collections, more hours and larger libraries. I don't think there is any chance of ever satisfying everyone in these areas, although there is generally more room for improvement in libraries outside Ohio, because of that state's generous funding.

Some of Youngstown's library branches serve as few as 2,000 people, while others serve 30,000 or more. Some see as few as four visitors per hour, while others average 65. Not surprisingly, considering Youngstown's location in the rust belt, the population has dropped about 20 percent since 1970, but circulation has risen by 37 percent. This is way out of character for cities with declining population, but Youngstown may have found a formula: expansion of the main library and new libraries, plus, I'll bet, enough money to buy lots and lots of videos and DVDs.

The article has an interesting comparison, which I don't think means a lot: it notes that they have 19 locations, or one library for every 13,327 people. It compares that with Chicago, with one library for 37,300 people, Cincinnati with one for every 19,800 people, and Toledo, one for every 25,100 people. Hm. I checked, and the library I retired from has one for every 46,600 people. On this basis, Youngstown looks pretty good. One might even whisper that it has too many locations for a population of 253,000, but hey, you don't close branches except in a dire budget crisis, and since when has an Ohio library had one of those?

Anyway, I don't think much of the statistic: square feet per capita means a lot more, just as in circulation per capita.

But four visitors per hour! Wonder how much money that is per visitor using total operating costs and capital costs annually? Don't mention it.

Charles W. Robinson Director Emeritus, BCPL Editor

geezer@bcpl.net