[Libs-Or] PRESS RELEASE: State Library Publishes 13 Years' Worth of Public Library Data

[VERVILLE Sadie * SLO]

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Contact:  Buzzy Nielsen
Library Support and Development Services Program Manager
971-375-3486

June 27, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Salem, Ore -The State Library of Oregon is pleased to announce its participation in the state's Open Data Program with its recent publication of the Oregon Public Library Statistics dataset. By giving the public and local libraries access to this information, the State Library hopes to increase transparency and accountability and create an opportunity to build stronger relationships among library users, library funders, and the libraries themselves.
This dataset presents 13 years of longitudinal data on public libraries in a single place and will be updated annually as new statistics are collected each year.
The Public Library Statistical Report is an annual survey sent to all public libraries in Oregon to collect data about library use, collections, programs, operations, and more. The data includes elements such as material checkouts, electronic resource use, program attendance, budgets, staffing, WiFi and computer access, and facility information for every public library location in the state. Libraries, policymakers, and the State Library use this information to help improve library services for all people of Oregon.
Ross Fuqua, the State Library's Data & Digital Projects Consultant, has diligently prepared these statistics for the Oregon Open Data Portal, a new, legislatively mandated initiative<https://data.oregon.gov/stories/s/xr2x-d2d7> coordinated by the State Government's Chief Data Officer. At 168 discrete data points per each of the approximately 135 libraries across the state per year, there are over 300,000 discrete data points in this new dataset. This dataset is now officially published on the open portal<https://data.oregon.gov/dataset/Oregon-Public-Library-Statistics/8zw7-zgjw> and is completely accessible to the public.
Increasing public access to this data and enhancing discoverability achieves the State Library's strategic initiative<https://www.oregon.gov/library/operations/Documents/State%20Library%20Strategic%20Plan%20-%20full%20version%20revised%20Jan%202021.pdf> to align data dissemination and access efforts with state open data initiatives. Not only do these open datasets provide more government transparency for the people of Oregon, they are also available on a national level for researchers to use to inform their work in evaluating public library services. One national news organization has already used the Oregon Public Library Statistics to inform their research on public computer usage<https://www.govtech.com/biz/data/are-public-computers-in-libraries-becoming-obsolete>, which came out only a week after the dataset had been published.
Having the Oregon Public Library Statistics on the Oregon Open Data Portal also enhances ease of access for libraries to access their own information. Using the Oregon Public Library Snapshot page<https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/statelibraryoforegon/viz/OregonPublicLibrarySnapshot/2022Snapshot>, which is connected to this open portal, libraries can get a high-level visual snapshot of their services, such as charts displaying library cardholders vs. non-cardholders in their districts, types of materials checked out, revenue, and more. The State Library has plans to create additional tools and data visualizations like the Snapshot in the near future, which will allow libraries to continue improving their services in their own communities.
For any questions, please contact Ross Fuqua, Data & Digital Projects Consultant, at ross.fuqua at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:ross.fuqua at slo.oregon.gov>.



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