New York public libraries

Another post commenting on Chapter 20 of Give Us a Dollar and We’ll Give You Back Four (2012-13)–now available as a $9.99 Kindle ebook or $21.95 paperback with ISBN 978-1481279161 on Amazon, along with the usual Lulu options. Note that Lulu prices for the paperback and hardback versions are now lower.

New York has the second largest number of libraries (second only to Maine): 745 in the tables, 11 omitted. Many of New York’s libraries are quite well supported, with nearly a quarter in the top bracket and 37% in the top two (compared to 20% overall). Circulation is fairly strong, with 49% circulating at least 10 items per capita and 63% doing eight or more (compared to 38% and 50% overall); expenditures track consistently with circulation. Patron visits are also fairly strong, with 42% of the libraries having seven or more visits per capita (compared to 33% overall); spending also tracks consistently with patron visits. (The budget tables also show consistent correlation between spending and both circulation and visits.)

Program attendance is also fairly strong, with 47% having at least 0.5 attendance (compared to 33% overall). PC use is almost exactly typical, never varying by more than 2% from the national figures.

Libraries by legal service area

LSA Count % Outliers
<700 45 6.0% 2
700-1,149 36 4.8% 1
1,150-1,649 50 6.7% 2
1,650-2,249 51 6.8% 2
2,250-2,999 58 7.8% 2
3,000-3,999 57 7.7%
4,000-5,299 57 7.7% 1
5,300-6,799 65 8.7%
6,800-8,699 47 6.3% 1
8,700-11,099 35 4.7%
11,100-14,099 43 5.8%
14,100-18,499 46 6.2%
18,500-24,999 33 4.4%
25,000-34,499 48 6.4%
34,500-53,999 43 5.8%
54,000-104,999 20 2.7%
105,000-4.1 mill. 11 1.5%

Circulation and spending per capita

Circulation per capita correlates strongly (0.51) with spending per capita

Circulation per capita plotted against spending per capita

Circulation per capita (rounded) occurrence by spending category

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