The goal is to show just how important libraries are to their communities. Sometimes, people take institutions such public libraries for granted, assuming that they will always be there. However, funding for many libraries is being reduced in ways that will threaten their very existence. It might be possible to absorb a reduction in State funding for a year, or one at the local level, or to do without a federal grant for one round. But many of the reductions being made to library budgets will last longer and are combined in ways that will overwhelm already drastically-reduced operating budgets. So, the idea of showing what libraries do for their communities in just one day out of the year, Snapshot Day was born.
Here's HPL's snapshot:
- 879 people came through the doors
- 204 questions were answered. Of the questions recorded at the Reference Desk, 54% were 0-4 mins (ready reference-type) and 46% were 5-15+ mins (reference)
- 1,278 circulation transactions were made
- 150+ computer lab users came in
- 272 people filled out the questionnaire
From the questionnaire group, a sampling of answer totals:
- 136 checked out items,
- 44 were job hunting,
- 84 used research tools/services,
- 27 attended meetings,
- 26 were here for tutoring/homework,
- 150 for computer use,
- 23 for wireless use,
- 37 for online library resources,
- 17 to get a library card.
All-in-all, I am amazed at all the good things that get done in just one day at a library. The one thing that isn't mentioned here though, or that is hard to see through the numbers, is that all that good is done by a wonderful and hard-working group of people. I am extremely thankful we have such a great staff here at HPL and if you use this library, you should be too! Please give them a "thank you" next time you get the chance!
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