1. AG Statistik BBS Library Statistics and Benchmarking in Switzerland W. Lochbühler ZHB Luzern - Central and University Library Lucerne, Switzerland Chair, Statistics Working Group, BBS (Library Association of Switzerland)

2. Contents Political Background History and development of library statistics Revised library statistics Statistics and benchmarking

3. Political Background Switzerland: small country in Middle Europe (41’285 sq km; 15’940 sq miles (  ½ inhabitable); 7.5 mio inhabitants in Germany: Niedersachsen, Lower Saxony 18‘383 sq miles, 7.8 mio inhabitants in the US: New Jersey 7‘419 sq miles, 8 mio inhabitants

4. Political Background Matterhorn / Zermatt here: Zurich Others: Basilea Geneva Berne

5. Political Background 4 Languages –German 65%; –French 20%; –Italian 6%; –Rhaeto-Rumantsch 0.5%; –others / immigrants 9% http://www.swissworld.org/en/people/language/)

6. Political Background

7. Political structure Switzerland is a federal state and a democracy with strong participation rights of people (grassroots democracy) Federalism and subsidiarity: The main political structure is the 26 Cantons The „Bund“ (the confederation) itself has only a few core competences (like foreign policy or military – but not culture!)

8. Political Background Cantons have as main competences: culture, education, parts of law, police Often the confederation gives only some basic rules; the cantons make the concretisation Cantonal laws and structures differ from each other

9. Cantons or Switzerland

10. Political Background The structure of libraries in Switzerland is often different: There are differences in mission, governance, financing, NPM structures it is not easy to generate a central structure for common library affairs This special situation must be considered when we talk about statistics and benchmarking and about comparing indicators

11. History of library statistics The annual national statistics began in 1927 with a few selected libraries, operated by the Swiss Library Association (BBS) 1950: more libraries were integrated in the Statistic 1960: library statistics were adopted by the Federal Office of Statistics of Switzerland (BFS) It was published yearly in print until 2002

12. History of library statistics Problems of these „older“ statistics: Data of 47 libraries; some new important libraries were missing Many indicators became outdated; indicators for new developments (like electronic media) were missing Some definitions of indicators were not precise enough

13. Revised Library Statistics A working group of the BBS and the BFS began the revision in 2001 Test survey in 2003 (data for 2002) Start of revised statistics in 2004 (data for 2003) Cooperation with the Swiss library benchmarking project: as many identical data as possible since 2006 Online survey since 2007 Cooperation with official statistics of the cantons (expected)

14. Revised Library Statistics The revised library statistics (since 2004) should: give an overview about the resources and the performance of the libraries (output-orientation) present the development of the libraries over the years (compatibility with former library statistics where possible) be able to take up new developments (e.g. usage of electronic resources) be compatible with international standards (e.g. ISO 2789/Eurostat)

15. Revised Library Statistics Questionnaire with 72 indicators in 7 sections: 1.local data (inhabitants, students) 2.Users (registered users; in-house users) 3.Library staff 4.Access and facility (effective area, opening hours, presentation of the library stock) 5.Finances (expenditure, income/funding, without investments) 6.Collection in stock (incl. electronic media) 7.Use of the library (documents of collection, electronic media, user-trainings, events)

16. Revised Library Statistics Categories in revised library statistics: National libraries3 University libraries14 Libraries of the universities (faculty libraries)7 (222) Libraries of universities of applied sciences7 (47+) Public libraries (towns over 10‘000 inhabitants)128

17. Revised Library Statistics Presentation: All data are online available for everyone on the homepage of the Federal Office of Statistics (BFS): http://www.bfs.admin.chhttp://www.bfs.admin.ch („Kultur/culture“)

18. Revised Library Statistics

20. BFS and the statistics working group analyse the data for selected subjects (areas) and publish the results in reports: http://www.bfs.admin.ch („Kultur“) http://www.bfs.admin.ch e.g. university libraries

21. Revised Library Statistics

23. Limits: Library statistics now are enlarged; but are far away from being complete: Public libraries are surveyed only from towns with more than 10‘000 inhabitants The other public libraries are surveyed in various local library statistics, which exist in most cantons. But these statistics are not standardized yet – we try to get them, too...

24. Revised Library Statistics Special libraries are not part of the statistics We had to learn that it is too difficult to find all the special libraries in Switzerland (including industrial and commercial libraries) But without this basis, you can never make a methodologically correct analysis!

25. Revised Library Statistics Measuring the use of electronic resources is difficult Lack of standardisation Only a part of providers deliver Counter based data Difficulties in measuring the sessions by library

26. Statistics and Benchmarking Library Benchmarking in Switzerland Start in 1999 (independent from the library statistics) – organized by a group of librarians Now yearly organized by Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Institute for Public Mana- gement IPM) Total: 21 libraries

27. Statistics and Benchmarking Differences: Benchmarking IPM normative Point of view: library Performance indicators Libraries arranged in comparison circles Results are confidential and access is restricted to participating libraries Participating libraries pay a fee Statistics BFS descriptive Point of view: society Statistical data Libraries arranged by standardized typology (ISO 2789) Results are publicly accessible For free

28. Statistics and Benchmarking Benchmarking: performance indicators Registered user per inhabitant or student Library visits per inhabitants or students Library visits per opening hour Cost per inhabitant or student Cost per opening hour Time of document processing etc.

29. Statistics and Benchmarking 70% of the basic indicators of benchmarking are contained in the annual libray statistics Benchmarking needs 33 additional indicators Cooperation in data survey between the benchmarking project and the official statistics on the basis of the eSurvey-tool of the BFS

30. E-Survey-Tool

31. E-Survey

33. wilfried.lochbuehler@zhbluzern.ch Thanks for your attention !!