Comments on: Public library value ratios: Feedback period extended

By: waltcrawford

waltcrawford — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:13:52 +0000

I have now read (or at least skimmed) all of the links on Wisconsin’s page that I hadn’t already read, and looked at some other sources. After all this, I’ve refined the model I was planning to use. A new section of the post provides that model.

By: waltcrawford

waltcrawford — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:00:31 +0000

Michael: Thanks. That link yields a few studies that I hadn’t seen. I’ll read through them.

I’ll be interested to see what I decide to do also. Right now, it’s up in the air.

By: Michael Golrick

Michael Golrick — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:22:43 +0000

You got me to thinking, and I did let my fellow SDCs know about your request, about whether you had found all the state produced ROI sites. I had compiled them at one time, but that library has taken them down. Wisconsin has a listing here: http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/econimpact.html which seems pretty complete.

There is a massive amount of data out there (in the IMLS collection) having some of it “pre-sorted” by size groups is probably most useful to the smallest libraries, unless they are blessed with a particularly talented staff member. I will be interested to see what you decide to do.

By: waltcrawford

waltcrawford — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:25:20 +0000

I’m delighted to receive this feedback (and email I received). I won’t comment–other than to agree that validity (esp. statistical validity) is a tricky issue. Transparency, I can guarantee.

By: Susan Mark

Susan Mark — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:20:14 +0000

I looked at library value calculators right when I started as an SDC
and came to the conclusion that they can be a good PR tool, but are
not particularly valid. For things such as programs, values were
pretty much “estimated” — plucked out of the air, seemingly. (Not to
mention that there are few parallels in the private sector to a
library storytime.) Even assigning values to books was problematic.
Sure, you could simply use the average cost of a book, but that cost
can vary widely depending on where it is purchased. In addition, it
has a residual value to the purchaser — they can take it to a used
bookstore and get something out of it, where they cannot with a
library book. Do you then subtract that from the value of the library
book? I never did come up with a good formula that I felt I could stand behind from a statistical standpoint.

By: Jeff Scott

Jeff Scott — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:06:07 +0000

It is tricky to thread the needle here. I think there is great value if you are able to discern actual value provided by libraries in way that compares them equally. Most of the studies put out fall victim to “libraries that have more money have a higher score”. The exception, of course, is Ohio since a great deal of their funding comes from the state. How does one value a library in a poor area? How can you come up with a fair statistic?

I’d love to see it though. I am a stats guy so I figured there must be a way. Perhaps the State Librarian staff member was venting frustration on this issue?