Communities Need Libraries
Libraries provide more than just books. For generations, they have served as safe havens for communities, providing resources and a place for people to gather. When COVID-19 resulted in the closure of schools and other institutions, communities turned to their local library for online events, eresources for course work, or simply someone to talk to.
Changing Community Needs
Today, libraries continue to face changing community needs which is obvious from fluctuating demand for BISAC topics, genres and subjects (check out our January blog which describes 2021 reading trends and predictions for 2022). Pre-pandemic research conducted by collectionHQ found that 18% of books added to library shelves have never checked out. Libraries must be prepared to leverage technology, data and strong partnerships to stay ahead of patron needs and empower communities.
Check out the infographic below to learn 3 ways that your library can accelerate community outcomes. You can also download our new white paper for more findings from collectionHQ’s research.
(Using desktop? Click on the image to zoom in)
Some of the statistics above surprised us:
- 18% of library material is Dead On Arrival (DOA).* While not all titles will be high circulators i.e. reference books, reducing this number will help libraries to make collection budgets go further.
- 17% of library material in the U.S.A. falls within a topic of diversity, equity or inclusion. Does your library have the tools in place to analyze DEI representation and how does this compare with the national average?
- On average, over 17,000 books in U.S. libraries can be used to replace existing copies. Think of the money that can be saved by transferring this material instead of buying replacements.
collectionHQ and Baker & Taylor offer flexible services to help your library adapt to changing community needs efficiently.
Contact us today to find out more.
*DOA reports material added to your library collection over a 12 month period, which subsequently does not achieve more than one circulation.