November Advocacy and the Statewide Surveys November 3, 2007

November Today Review highlights from the 2006 Survey Review highlights from the 2006 Survey How libraries rate How libraries rate Economic Development Economic Development Funding Funding Key players Key players Success stories Success stories

November The Surveys

November Rating Public Services

November Q.3 Students are often given the grades of A, B, C, D, or Fail as a way to rate the quality of their work. Suppose the public schools themselves, in your community, were graded in the same way. What grade would you give the public schools in your community: A, B, C, D, or Fail? Schools’ “G.P.A.” 2.6

November Q.4e Using that same A through F scale, how would you rate each of these other services of your local government?…Public libraries? Schools’ G.P.A. = 2.6 Libraries’ G.P.A. = 3.4

November “A”G.P.A. Public libraries Public libraries49%3.4 Police and public safety Police and public safety32%2.9 Parks and recreation Parks and recreation33%3.0 Public schools Public schools18%2.6 Social services Social services13%2.4 Roads and mass transit Roads and mass transit17%2.4 Local government efficiency Local government efficiency11%2.3 Grading Local Services Q.4

November Most Desired Community Asset Park46% Public Library18% Elementary School12% Police Station12% Job Center10% All/None/Not Sure2% Q.6 (Metropolitan jurisdictions): If you were moving into a new neighborhood, which of these would you most want to have on your own street? Q.6 (Non-metropolitan counties): If you were moving into a new community, which of these would you most want to have on your own street or road?

November Essential Service or Cultural Amenity? Q.8 Turning now to public libraries specifically, are you more likely to think of your local public library as (rotate): [an essential service like a school, (or more of) a cultural amenity like an art gallery]? 72% of frequent library users say “Essential Service”

November Public Library Services Q.9 Can you name two services that your local public library performs? Borrow/check out materials54% Use the Internet53% Bring a child for homework or a program14% Research/Find reference information15% Get information (forms, brochures, newspapers) 9% Community activities8% Only 31% cited Use the Internet in 2003

November Public Library Job Ratings Good job Could do better Not sure Knowledgeable, courteous, efficient staff80%10% Branch close enough75%17%9% Information and materials you want/need 70%19%10% Being open when you want to visit66%25%9% Q.10 When you think about your local public library, would you say it does a good job or could do a better job at each of these? A.Having the information and materials you want or need B.Being open when you want to visit C.Having a branch close enough to your home or work D.Providing knowledgeable staff who are courteous and efficient

November Economic Development

November Trip Chaining Q.20 (If visited a public library in the past year): Do you often include other errands on your trips to the public library, or not?

November Economic Anchor Q.13 Do you agree or disagree with this idea? If a public library moved into a community, it would help attract good businesses to the area. 43% agreed in 2003

November Teaching Job Skills Q.14 And do you agree or disagree with this idea? Public libraries improve a community by helping people learn new skills so they can get better jobs. 78% agreed in 2003

November Lifelong Learning Q.15 Do you agree or disagree? Public libraries help people learn new things no matter what their age.

November Public Library Funding

November Good Investment of Tax Dollars Q.16 Generally, do you think public libraries are a good investment of your tax dollars, or do you think those taxes would be better spent in other ways? 94% of frequent library users see them as a good investment.

November Counties´ Investment Q.17 If you knew that public libraries throughout Maryland typically receive less than 2 percent of a county’s budget, would you think this was enough, or would you think more money should be invested in public libraries?

November State Investment Q.18 If you knew that public libraries in Maryland typically receive less than 1 percent of the state's budget, would you think this was enough, or would you think more money should be invested in public libraries?

November What’ happening now?

November Key Players

November Key Players

November Key Players Committee Chairs Committee Chairs Subcommittee Chairs Subcommittee Chairs B & T, Ways & Means, B & T, Ways & Means,Appropriations Staff Staff Delegations Delegations

November Key Players County officials and staffs County officials and staffs

November Key Players Everyone in this room! Everyone in this room!

November What’s happening

November Message - Constituent Impact On library use On library use On library users On library users Fiscal Fiscal

November Making the Case

November Message - Economic Development

November Libraries and Education

November Coummunity Development

November Legislative Success

November Legislative Success

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