Tennessee 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.

Most of the 150 Tennessee libraries profiled (36 were omitted) fall near the bottom of the funding scale, with 83% spending less than $21 (compared to 28% overall).

Circulation is low, with only 14% circulating at least eight items per capita (compared to 50% overall). Patron visits are also low, with 19% reporting at least five visits per capita (compared to 54% overall). Only 15% of the libraries manage at least 0.3 program attendance per capita (compared to 54% overall), and 41% are in the bottom bracket. Finally, PC use is low, but not as low, with 24% reporting at least 1.3 uses per capita (compared to 43% overall).

Libraries by legal service area

LSA Count % Outliers
<700 6 4.0% 1
700-1,149 4 2.7%
1,150-1,649 6 4.0%
1,650-2,249 6 4.0% 2
2,250-2,999 5 3.3% 1
3,000-3,999 5 3.3% 2
4,000-5,299 4 2.7% 1
5,300-6,799 12 8.0% 6
6,800-8,699 10 6.7% 1
8,700-11,099 4 2.7% 5
11,100-14,099 13 8.7% 3
14,100-18,499 13 8.7% 3
18,500-24,999 14 9.3% 3
25,000-34,499 13 8.7% 5
34,500-53,999 15 10.0% 2
54,000-104,999 12 8.0% 1
105,000-4.1 mill. 8 5.3%

Circulation per capita and spending per capita

Circulation per capita correlates strongly (0.59) with spending per capita.

Circulation per capita plotted against spending per capita

Circulation per capita (rounded) occurrence by spending category

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