Author: Adrienne Chute

Publisher:

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 163

ISBN-13: 9780160490590

The tables in this report summarize information about public libraries in the United States for the fiscal year 1994. These data were collected through the seventh Public Libraries Survey (PLS). Respondents for this census were 8,727 of the 8,921 public libraries identified in the 50 states and District of Columbia, by state library agencies. About 11% of the public libraries serve 70% of the population of legally served areas in the United States; 1,455 public libraries (over 16%) reported one or more branch library outlets, with a total of 7,025; total operating expenditures for public libraries were over $4.9 billion in 1994; libraries reported a total of nearly 112,823 paid full-time equivalent (FTE) staff; and total nationwide circulation of library materials was nearly 1.6 billion, or 6.4 per capita. The report begins by presenting highlights of the findings. The introduction describes: the terminology used in the document; the survey universe; data collection and use of technology; and quality review of the data. Also included are caveats for statistics. The data are presented in 19 sets of tables, which make up the body of this report. Data is provided on staffing; operating income and expenditures; type of governance; type of administrative structure; public service hours; interlibrary loan; circulation; and library visits. Appendices include a background of the Federal-State Cooperative System (FSCS), a glossary, and a list of states with overlapping population of legal service areas. (AEF)