Library Benefits
Library Directors who participated in the national U.S. IMPACT Study found hosting the web survey beneficial for a number of purposes¹:
Help your library realize successful funding outcomes
“Library commissioners have been devouring this data. They had to advocate pretty hard this year for the supplemental funding that the city provides for additional hours of operation. It was a hard sell this year and they were successful.”
“I think that [the data] is why we did get the level of funding from the city because they realized how strongly we are needed.”
“It gives us more information to demonstrate why the library shouldn’t be closed.”
Justify decisions to support library technology services
“I think the general public may think that all libraries don’t need computers, everybody has their own or all anybody does is play games anyway… It is always nice to know that people are utilizing our resources at the library and what they are utilizing them for. That information is always valuable to make it clear that computer use in the library is important to people and it is well used.”
Confirm staff observations about the impact of public access computing
“Occasionally, we get the anecdotal evidence of someone saying, 'Oh, I found a job because I went to the library," or, “Oh, I got my GED in a computer class in the library.' But we don't have any kind of research that we can use to say this is how it is impacting the local community. So this was a gift to us, so that we can say it's not just a thing that happens or librarians reporting what people tell them. There is actual recent data that substantiates what we believe is happening in our library.”
Build community support
“We are always trying to build advocates in our community and give them the tools and the messaging that they need to be successful in supporting us… We’re sharing that information with people that have some influence within our community.”
Inform strategic planning
“It just reconfirmed that some of the newer things that we've been doing are things that people look to the library for. And then in the area there of health literacy... It's supporting what's been around a little bit as a buzz that might be a next area for us to get into.”
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