The Public Library Association (PLA) today published the Public Library Services for Strong Communities Report. The 2022 national survey explored types of public library program and services, the nature of partnerships with other organizations, and the state of library facilities. The survey is the third in a rotating series exploring public library roles, services, and resources to provide actionable data for decision-making and advocacy.
Key findings include:
The majority of public libraries (68%) offer elections services, such as voter registration, ballot drop-off, or serving as a polling place.
Virtually all libraries (99%) have summer reading programs for children, teens, and/or adults to support learning outside of school.
78% of libraries offer job and career services currently and 24% have workforce development programs.
17.5% of libraries have at least one type of mobile programming facility, including bookmobiles, cybermobiles, and mobile job centers.
98% of public libraries have at least one type of partnership with an external organization (e.g., K-12 schools, government entities, and non-profits).
40% of library buildings have not undergone major renovations in over two decades (since 2000 or earlier).
Half of libraries (50%) have special designations for emergencies, serving as cooling/warming centers in extreme temperatures, distribution centers during public health emergencies, and/or centers for community members and first responders during disaster recovery.
Source: Public Library Services for Strong Communities Report, Public Library Association/ALA
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In coordination with PLA’s Measurement, Evaluation, and Assessment Committee, and representatives from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and state library agencies, the PLA surveys and reports complement and add detail to the annual Public Libraries Survey. The new PLA report also includes pointers and resources for action to address community needs such as food insecurity, workforce development, and renewable energy.
PLA invited all U.S. public library administrative entities to complete the survey in fall 2022. In total, 1,167 libraries participated, a response rate of 12.6%. The survey results are weighted to account for differences between responding libraries and the universe of all U.S. public libraries.
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area.
He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.
The Public Library Association (PLA) today published the Public Library Services for Strong Communities Report. The 2022 national survey explored types of public library program and services, the nature of partnerships with other organizations, and the state of library facilities. The survey is the third in a rotating series exploring public library roles, services, and resources to provide actionable data for decision-making and advocacy.
