Americans like the library, but will they pay for it?
Almost everybody will tell you they love the library. And if you press them, most adults will go on to relate some fond memory of their childhood library. But will these good feelings translate into a willingness to support the library with tax dollars?
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave a grant to the Online Computer Library Center to research just this question. Results were released several months ago (www.oclc.org/reports/funding) and the answer turned out to be both complicated and surprising.
Here are the six key findings:
1) Most people will claim to support the library, but fewer people are truly committed to doing so. When asked, 74 percent said they would "probably vote yes." But elections are not won on "probabilities." Only 37 percent were "definitely" committed.
2) A lot of people don't know about their public library. They might know about the traditional services, but there was less awareness about the newer, especially electronic, services. Fact is, America's public library is not your father's library, it's not the library you remember as a child. A lot has been happening.
3) The library's most committed supporters are not the heaviest library users. So when libraries seeking to pass ballot measures focus on their heaviest users, that focus might be misplaced. Somehow the library needs to suss out those people who are "definitely" committed.
4) Perceptions of the librarian are an important predictor of library funding support. Yes, Marian needs to get out of the library, work with community groups, and get a reputation for being passionate about the library.
5) Most voters see the public library as a provider of "information." But those who see the library as "transformation" are most likely to increase their taxes in its support. In other words, it's not a passive thing. The library must be seen as not only a place for information, but also a place where people and groups and families who go there are changed for the better. Static information doesn't get it - we've got the Internet for that.
6) Increasing support for libraries may not necessarily mean a trade-off with financial support for other public services. The study surveyed respondents' willingness to support a variety of public services including safety, heath and education. Those willing to support the library are also more likely to fund police, fire and schools.
Visit www.oclc.org/reports/funding to view the full report. One of the most interesting chapters is "Elected Officials on Library Funding." The news is mixed, but it includes advice from elected officials on how to get more dollars for the library. Again, it's all about being out in the community building partnerships, being proactive, stressing the library's broad appeal, and very important, showing the library's return on investment (ROI). Visit www.nsls.info/roi/ for a handy calculator to determine how much you saved on your most recent library visit.
The bottom line from the study: A critical number of Americans hold the public library in high esteem. That's good news. The surprising news is that just asking library users for their support doesn't get it. Library leaders need to be much more involved in the community and really know who will positively support and vote for the library when the time comes.
Tune into my podcast interview (www.librarybeat.org) with Cathy De Rosa and Jenny Johnson, principle contributors to the study, for more insight.
What's the outlook for libraries in light of recent election results? Listen to my podcast interviews with Kip Kolkmeier, lobbyist, Illinois Library Association and Emily Sheketoff, associate executive director, American Library Association and head of ALA's Washington Office, at www.librarybeat.org.