Wisconsin 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.

The 380 profiled libraries in Wisconsin (one omitted) mostly spend in the midrange–$21 to $52.99—with 50 libraries spending more and 45 spending less (but only five in the bottom bracket). With or without adjusting for cost of living, the lowest median benefit ratio is 4.59 and most are above 6.

Circulation is well above average, with 36% circulating at least 17 items per capita, 61% circulating 13 or more and 82% circulating 10 or more—compared to 14%, 25% and 38% overall. (At the other extreme, only 13 libraries—3%–circulated less than six items, compared to 21% overall.) Patron visits aren’t quite as strong, but still strong: 70% report at least five visits per capita, compared to 54% overall. Program attendance and PC use are both fairly typical.

Libraries by legal service area

LSA Count % Outliers
<700 8 2.1%
700-1,149 25 6.6%
1,150-1,649 25 6.6%
1,650-2,249 21 5.5% 1
2,250-2,999 40 10.5%
3,000-3,999 32 8.4%
4,000-5,299 40 10.5%
5,300-6,799 30 7.9%
6,800-8,699 25 6.6%
8,700-11,099 17 4.5%
11,100-14,099 22 5.8%
14,100-18,499 22 5.8%
18,500-24,999 26 6.8%
25,000-34,499 14 3.7%
34,500-53,999 15 3.9%
54,000-104,999 11 2.9%
105,000-4.1 mill. 7 1.8%

Circulation per capita and spending per capita

Circulation per capita correlates strongly (0.61) with spending per capita.

Circulation per capita plotted against spending per capita

Circulation per capita (rounded) occurrence by spending category

This graph is linear from 4 through 38 circulation per capita.

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