Our Favorite Library Research Tool

The Compare Public Libraries tool provides an easy way to evaluate your library in comparison with others that share similar characteristics. For example, you can discover how your library stacks up among libraries of similar size in terms of circulation per capita, visits per year, or uses of public access computers. This free application is available on the website of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) at http://harvester.census.gov/imls/compare/index.asp. It contains data from the national Public Library Survey conducted annually in each state and was just updated with statistics from the 2008-2009 survey. The "Data Doctors" here at the Library Commission use this tool regularly for our research and give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. So, give it a try!