Needs Assessment: Atlantic Beach Public Library 9/25/13 Kelly McD nald L!

"#511$%21&13

Contents
Contents..................................................................................................................... 2

Key &indin's and (ec mmendati ns$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$% A))endices $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$11

Introduction
Atlantic Beach is a small city l cated *ust utside + ,ac-s n.ille n the /ast c ast + &l rida$ 0ntil 21122 it did n t ha.e a )ublic library system + its 3n$ 4n a 3arm M nday2 the 25th + Au'ust2 5ity Mana'er ,im 6ans n cut the ribb n + r 3hat 3 uld be the .ery +irst Atlantic Beach Public Library 7ABPL8$ 9ith the hel) + many 'ener us d nati ns and a 'rant +r m the American Library Ass ciati n2 ABPL 3as able t )ut t 'ether a library c llecti n$ N 3 a )art + the city:s ' .ernment under the (ecreati n de)artment2 the library em)l ys % 3 r-ers includin' three +ull;time librarians and + ur )art;time library aides$ <he missi n + ABPL is t nurture a sa+e en.ir nment + r intellectual stimulati n and +urther educati n + the citi=ens + Atlantic Beach2 &L by )r .idin' b th )rint and electr nic res urces that meet the city:s m st current needs$ !t 3as the decisi n + 5ity (ecreati n Direct r2 <immy , hns n2 t all cate m ney 3ithin the de)artment t c nduct a c llecti n needs assessment$ <he decisi n 3as made t use the library direct r2 ,ane Adams2 as the lead + r the )r *ect$ <he assessment 3as c nducted .er ne 3ee-2 ran'in' +r m Au'ust >2 2113; Au'ust 112 2113 t ensure all sur.eys and circulati n data c llected 3 uld best re)resent the library and its users$

<his needs assessment ser.es t re;identi+y 3hat materials are needed in the ABPL:s c llecti n t best suit the c mmunity:s desires$ 9hen the library +irst )ened a year be+ re the assessment2 many + the b -s 3ere d nated2 and m ney 'i.en 3as used in c nstructi n + the

buildin' and t brea- 'r und$ <here 3as n t a )r )er needs assessment made in the )enin' + the +acility and it has c me t the attenti n + b th library sta++ and Atlantic Beach 5ity (ecreati n Administrat rs that a ne3 selecti n + materials and 3eedin' may be needed$ <he ' al + this assessment is t better understand 3hat material is bein' used s that m ney +r m the ne3 +iscal year is s)ent 3isely$ <he library h )es t )urchase material missin' +r m its c llecti n that 3 uld be + use t the )atr ns as 3ell as clear ut b bein' circulated$ -s that are n t

Background and Understanding

<he Atlantic Beach Public Library recei.ed many b residents the +irst year it )ened its d 3as #2111 b -s 3ith n - and m netary d nati ns +r m city

rs$ <he d nati ns 3ere 'reatly needed as the c llecti n -s$ "ince then2 the c llecti n has d ubled in - licenses$ N thin' has been discarded

nline res urces r e;b

si=e and ABPL has ac?uired 11 databases and 511 e;b

+r m the c llecti n this )ast year in rder t build u) the si=e + the library and )r .ide a lar'er selecti n$ <his means2 there are items n the shel.es that ha.e ne.er been chec-ed ut and databases that ha.e rarely been used$ " me + the d nated b -s

are in need + re)air r sh uld be discarded$ <he im) rtance + -ee)in' a rele.ant c llecti n has been the dri.in' +act r + r this needs assessment$

A sur.ey + )atr ns needs has been d cumented and analy=ed t determine 3hich res urces they use the m st and + r 3hich reas ns they use the library$ < btain ?uantitati.e

data2 in+ rmati n 3as e@tracted +r m the circulati n rec rds as 3ell as the !nter Library L an system$ An internal sur.ey + )en;ended ?uesti ns 3as distributed t the +i.e city c mmissi n leaders$ &r m the results2 it is easy t see that the library is an im) rtant res urce + r Atlantic Beach citi=ens2 but their needs can be better met 3ith s me ad*ustments t the all cati n + +undin' + r m re rele.ant material$ <he s)eci+icati ns + r chan'es made t c llecti n de.el )ment ) licies are addressed in the Key &indin's and (ec mmendati ns secti n + this re) rt$

Methodology
"e.eral ste)s 3ere ta-en t + rmulate and c nduct this needs assessment$ !n rder t c m)letely understand 3hat the city:s residents 3 uld +ind m st bene+icial c llecti n;3ise2 a sur.ey 3as issued t the )atr ns$ <his sur.ey 3as created by Library Direct r2 ,ane Adams2 and a))r .ed by <immy , hns n$ !n rder t ma@imi=e res) nses btained durin' the 3ee- this sur.ey 3as distributed t each )atr n that entered the buildin' bet3een re'ular library h urs2 9 am t # )m2 M nday Au'ust 52 2113 t &riday Au'ust 92 2113$ 12 >A5 )atr ns res) nded re)resentin' a))r @imately #1 )ercent + the t tal )atr na'e durin' that time+rame$ <he in+ rmati n 3as retrie.ed +r m the sur.eys 3hich 3ere returned t the circulati n des-$ <he )ercenta'e + sur.ey res) ndents 3as + und by c m)arin' that number t the t tal number + library .isit rs that 3ee-2 as c unted by the aut matic )atr n c unter attached t the d r$

Bualitati.e res) nses 3ere 'athered +r m the three 5ity 5 mmissi ners in an attem)t t assess their ideas + the library c llecti n:s r le in the city$ /ach c mmissi ner recei.ed an email

3ith the three )en;ended ?uesti ns attached and 3ere as-ed t +ill in their res) nses$ All three c mmissi ners 'a.e their ans3ers by <hursday2 Au'ust A2 2113$ <heir res) nses 3ere re.ie3ed and )r cessed by ABPL:s catal 'in' and children:s librarian2 Da.id Martine=$ <he summary + his +indin's 3as then 'i.en t the library direct r and has included in the A))endi@ + this re) rt$ !n additi n t )atr n sur.eys and ?uesti ns +r m -ey in+ rmants2 circulati n in+ rmati n 3as als 'athered durin' that 3ee-$ "ec ndary in+ rmati n usin' h ld re?uests2 in;h use statistics2 circulati n statistics includin' e;b - d 3nl ads2 and !nterlibrary l an in+ rmati n

'a.e a 'eneral )icture + 3hat is bein' chec-ed ut +r m ABPL as 3ell as 3hat )atr ns are re?uestin' +r m ther sites that cann t be + und 3ithin this c llecti n$ <his data 3as es)ecially hel)+ul in determinin' 3hat the c llecti n is missin' as 3ell as 3hich )art + the standin' c llecti n is m st ) )ular$ All + the in+ rmati n 3as made a.ailable usin' the library:s re'ular catal 'in' s +t3are$ 4nly in+ rmati n +r m the 3ee- in re.ie3 3as included in the dataset$ Kn 3led'e ab ut the c mmunity itsel+2 n t e@clusi.e t the re'ular library )atr ns2 has als been deemed an im) rtant inclusi n t this assessment as ABPL stri.es t reach a lar'er ) rti n + the city$ Dem 'ra)hic data +r m the 2111 5ensus as stated n the 0" 5ensus Bureau:s 3ebsite 3as analy=ed and c m)ared t res) nses ab ut a'e2 race and lan'ua'e n the )atr n sur.ey$ A.era'e 3a'es and earnin' in+ rmati n 3as l cated thr u'h 5ity;data$c m t )aint a m re accurate )icture + 3h the library is ser.in'$ ABPL and the recreati n de)artment b th a'ree that -n 3in' + r 3h m y ur +acilities bene+it 3ill hel) determine 3hat ser.ices2 s)eci+ically materials2 need t be )r .ided$

Key Findings and Recommendations

&r m the results + the )atr n:s sur.ey2 it can be c ncluded that the ethnicity + library )atr ns directly mirr rs the )ercenta'es 'athered +r m the city:s census rec rds$ <here 3ere n s-e3ed data sets t ta-e int c nsiderati n r ma-e any e@ce)ti ns as +ar as )r .idin' materials + r r ab ut ther cultures that 3 uld ' cultural c llecti n$ 0) n re.ie3in' the a'es + und 3ithin the library )atr na'e2 it 3as decided that m re easy readers and )icture b that a lar'e ma* rity + the )atr ns are retired r ab ut t retire2 and the c llecti n sh uld + cus n im)r .in' the adult +icti n secti n$ M re ")anish lan'ua'e b needed2 as 31C + res) ndents re?uested ")anish as their )re+erred lan'ua'e$ -s are -s sh uld be the + cus + the children:s c llecti n$ !t 3as als n ted utside the n rmal sc )e + the city library:s main

<he n n;+icti n c llecti n needs t + cus n e@)andin' its science2 math and /n'lish curricular b -s t ser.ice the surr undin' sch ls$ <est )re) b -s 3ill als be added t the

c llecti n and -e)t current 3hen ne3 editi ns are released$ <here 3as a lar'e res) nse + r use + DDDs in the library$ #1C + sur.ey res) nses indicated they use r are interested in b rr 3in' DDDs +r m ABPL$ <his c llecti n 3ill be built u) t include best sellers2 su))lemented by ma* r a3ard sh 3 3innin's +r m the )ast and )resent$ M ney t 3ard DDDs 3ill als be s)ent n b @es 3ith l c-s n them as 3ell as ma'netic unl c- bric-s + r the circulati n des-$ Ee r'ia 6iu'hs2 a )art;time em)l yee in char'e + l ss )re.enti n and missin' items2 3ill ta-e n the missin' and dama'ed DDD rec rds and c ntacts$ Li-e3ise2 m re audi b -s 3ill be added t the media c llecti n2 as there 3as a >2C

)atr n re)ly + use +r m the sur.ey$ ABPL 3ill su))lement the FA2 5hildren:s2 and Adult +icti n secti n 3ith audi b Pr 'rams 3ill be )ut int )lace enc ura'in' )atr ns t use the databases as 3ell as instructin' them in their ser.ices$ %2C + res) ndents t the )atr n sur.ey indicated they ha.e n t used the databases but 3 uld li-e t in the +uture$ N m re databases -s titles n t yet + und r c mm nly missin' due t hi'h demand$

r licenses 3ill be )urchased at this time$ M re e++ rt2 instead2 3ill be made t )r m te the current nline res urces$ /;b -s did n t 'et as lar'e a + ll 3in' as the database users$ 4nly 2AC said they 3 uld

use them$ <he library 3ill -ee) the 511 licenses they currently )r .ide2 and 3ill u)date them 3ith ne3 releases and ) )ular titles$ <he current bud'et + r e;licenses 3ill remain the same until a ne3 needs assessment is made$ Data +r m ABPL circulati n and interlibrary l an circulati n 'a.e a ' 3hat )e )le are b rr 3in'$ M st + the titles 3ere ne3er b d indicati n +

-s2 )urchased 3ithin the last +e3

m nths$ <he items 3ere titles by ) )ular auth rs2 and m st included mystery r r mance$ !n res) nse t these +indin's2 the +icti n secti n 3ill be 3eeded + n n;circulatin' items 73#C + the +icti n c llecti n8 and be re)laced 3ith ne3 releases 3hich include mystery and r mance n .els by ) )ular2 best;sellin' auth rs$ Alm st all + the interlibrary l an re?uests 3ere sch l re?uired b -s + r summer

readin'$ 4+ the 21 re?uests2 1% 3ere "unshine "tate (eaders r classic n .els$ !t has been n ted that the statistics 3ere )ulled durin' the summer2 a time 3hen these materials ha.e a hi'her callin' than n rmal2 but ABPL 3ill s)end m re + the children:s secti n m ney all cated in the summer t the re?uired readin's + surr undin' sch system 3ill decide 3hich b ls$ 5 ntact bet3een ABPL and the sch l

-s are + m re im) rtance$

<he ?uesti ns 'i.en t the 5ity 5 mmissi ners 3ere + 'reat hel) in determinin' 3hich b -s 3 uld 'i.e ur )atr ns the m st in+ rmati n ab ut their city$ !t 3as indicted that the

beaches 3ere a )ri rity + r the residents2 as 3ell as the hist ry + city and its land$

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N n;+icti n b

-s ab ut its ' l+ c urses 3ere su''ested2 as many + the Atlantic Beach residents

+re?uent them$ <he c mmissi ners als re?uested that the library h use s me + the archi.es +r m their c llecti n in city hall$ !t has been a'reed that b th )rint and electr nic archi.e res urces 3ill bec me a.ailable thr u'h ABPL$ <he electr nic res urces 3ill n l n'er be h used n the city 3ebsite but 3ill be catal 'ed and )r .ided thr u'h the library:s 3ebsite$ ABPL and its sta++ ha.e + und this needs assessment essential in )r .idin' the ser.ices its )atr ns re?uire$ As a result2 a ne3 d nati ns ) licy has been im)lemented$ B -s 3ill n

l n'er ' directly t the shel+ but 3ill be c nsidered2 added2 dis) sed +2 r set aside + r sale$ A &riends + the Library 'r u) has been established by the Atlantic Beach 9 men:s 5lub2 a))r .ed by 5ity Mana'er2 ,im 6ans n$ <hey ha.e a'reed t c llect2 assess and sell the d nated material n t 3anted + r additi n t the c llecti n in a biannual b ta-e )lace in the lar'e meetin' r - sale$ <he b - sales 3ill

m n site2 and all )r ceeds 3ill bene+it ABPL directly$

9ith the ne3 ) licy n d nati ns2 a &riends + the Library 'r u) established2 and a better understandin' + 3hat materials the residents + Atlantic Beach need2 ABPL ' es + r3ard 3ith c n+idence that their missi n t Gnurture a sa+e en.ir nment + r intellectual stimulati n and +urther educati n + the citi=ens + Atlantic Beach2 &L by )r .idin' b th )rint and electr nic res urces that meet the city:s m st current needsH 3ill certainly be met day in and day ut$

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Appendices

Patr n "ur.ey 12 5 mmisi ner Buesti nnaire 5harts 15 13 1> ABPL P licy + r D nated !tems

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ABPL Patron Survey

1. What is your age? %. What section of the li"rary are you $ost li&ely to use? 'hec& all that apply. 11 or younger 12-17 18-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-older 2. What is your race? !udio6oo s White Blac or !"rican !#erican !sian $ati%e &a'aiian or (ther )aci"ic *slander !#erican *ndian or !las a $ati%e (ther 3. What is your preferred language? $e' releases Best sellers +nglish Classic titles ,-anish *nde-endent -u6lishing or sel"--u6lished titles (ther .-lease s-eci"y/ -. Would you li&e to "orro! e."oo&s fro$ the li"rary? 7ra-hic $o%els C8s 898s Co#-uter ser%ices (. ) !ould li&e to see $ore *chec& all that apply+,

!dult "iction !dult non-"iction Children2s "iction Children2s non-"iction 3oung !dult "iction 3oung !dult non-"iction 4aga5ines

4. or !hich purpose do you use the li"rary#s collection of $aterial?

3es $o

+ducational0,chool 1ecreational0)leasure Career de%elo-#ent

/. 0ave you used any of the li"rary#s online data"ases?

3es: * "re;uently use the# 3es: 6ut not o"ten $o: * ha%e no need "or the# $o: 6ut * 'ould li e to use the# in the "uture

ABPL Commissioner Survey

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1. What best describes the typical interests of an Atlantic Beach resident?

2. What part of the city of Atlantic Beach should be sho !cased or represented in the library collection?

". What #inds of city records should the library house?

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ABPL Policy for 1onated )te$s

!tlantic Beach )u6lic <i6rary than s you "or consideration to donate #aterial. &ere are a "e' things to ee- in #ind=

- !ll #aterial donated is no' the -ro-erty o" !B)< and cannot 6e returned to -re%ious o'ner. - (nce they are donated: !B)< reser%es the right to add this ite# to its collection: sell it at the 6iannual 6oo sale .all -roceeds go to'ard the li6rary/: or discard the ite# co#-letely. - $ot all #aterial added to the collection 'ill re#ain there: as !B)< stri%es to ee- its content u--to-date 'ith the #ost recent or re;uested titles. - 3ou #ay re;uest a ta> "or# "ro# the circulation des "or ta> 'rite-o"" -ur-oses? ho'e%er: the sta"" at !B)< cannot gi%e you #onetary esti#ate o" your donation. - @he li6rary is not acce-ting 9&,: cassette ta-es: or encyclo-edias at this ti#e.

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*" you ha%e any "urther ;uestions: -lease see a li6rarian or call .904/ 555-8733

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