Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library SPACE NEEDS ASSESSMENT Prepared by Anders C. Dahlgren...

Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library

SPACE NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Prepared by Anders C. Dahlgren

Library Planning Associates, Inc.Normal, IL

April 4, 2008

Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library Space Needs Assessment

Goal of the study: To identify service and resource inventory goals to meet the needs

of the community over the next generation To define the long-term space needs of the library To evaluate strategic planning considerations that emerge as a

result of those findings

Today’s goal: To share study findings To hear your reactions, concerns & questions


Space needs assessment method Collection space

Books Magazines Videos and audio recordings Electronic information resources

(computers for public use) Reader seating space Staff work space Meeting / program space “Special use” space Nonassignable space


Data was gathered from a variety of sources Library annual report data, tracking the library’s progress over

time Comparative benchmark analyses, placing the library in the

context of peer groups statewide, regionally, nationwide The library’s patron database Interviews conducted with the Board of Trustees Interviews with staff Key informant interviews conducted with numerous individual

opinion leaders from the community Four group interviews with community representatives


0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Data review – volumes held Increased from over

105,200 (1997) to over 145,400 (2006)

An increase of 38.2% Average net increase:

more than 3,900 volumes per year

Average gross increase:over 3,900 volumes per year (high of 5,680 in 2002, low of 2,984 in 2005)

In most years, the library registered a net growth in print holdings, but in four years withdrawals outpaced additions


Data review – nonprint held Audio increased from over

2,800 to over 5,800 – an

increase of about 100% Video increased from over

2,600 to over 4,600 – an

increase of 76% In 1992 the library held 2.3 nonprint for every 100 print volumes

held; by 2006 that ratio increased to 7.2 nonprint for every 100 print held

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Audio Video


Data review – circulation Stable during first part of

last decade, then up & down Peak of 226,000+ in 2004 172,900+ transactions in

2006 (decrease of 23.5%) Ratio between adult and children’s circulation relatively constant

Adult circ averages 70.4% of total Adult circ = 68% to 70% of total most years

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Adult Youth


Existing data review key observations: Collection resources have generally expanded over the last ten years Nonprint holdings have increased at a rate 3x as fast as print holdings

reflecting patron interest in and demands for new formats Traditional measures of use (such as circulation) show a mixed

pattern from year to year, decline over time – cause uncertain Anecdotally, nontraditional measures of use (web hits, in-house

patron computer use sessions) are increasing Balance among revenue sources and expenditures has been constant

over time (“local” sources about 75% of total revenue, personnel costs about 69% of total expenditures, collection costs 15% of total)


Comparative service benchmark findings – three peer groups Libraries in MS serving 50,000 to 100,000 population (n=13) Libraries in region serving 50,000 to 100,000 population

(n=50) Libraries nationwide serving 50,000 to 100,000 population

(n=538)State Region Nation

Population 75th 63rd 66th

Volumes held 58th 67th 38th

Magazines held 58th 71st 31st

Audio recordings 50th 61st 28th

Video recordings 58th 61st 29th


Patron mapping – 50 or fewer uses / 200 or more uses


Projected service population

77,911

Total population 77,055 77,262 77,911

Male 36,744 47.69% 36,779 47.60% 37,180 47.72%Female 40,309 52.31% 40,482 52.40% 40,731 52.28%

White 44,129 57.27% 42,955 55.60% 42,050 53.97%Nonwhite 32,926 42.73% 34,307 44.40% 35,861 46.03%

Source: Center for Policy Research and Planning, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, August 2005

Year 2010 Year 2015 Year 2020


Recommended service and resource inventories Collections

190,000 volumes* (66th percentile / national peers) 250 magazines (40th percentile / national peers) 22,600 audiovisual items (75th percentile / national peers) 100 computers for public use (95th percentile / national peers)

Seating – 200 reader seats Staffing – 37 stations Meeting / programming

Auditorium to seat 250 Multi-purpose room for 150 Conference / board room for 16 Children’s storytime room for 50


Recommended space need based on service and resource inventoriesCollection space

Books 190,000 @ 10.0 vol per sq.ft. 17,100Allowance for special collections 500

Periodical display 250 @ 1 title per sq.ft. 250Periodical backfiles 238 @ 0.5 sq.ft per title x 2 yrs retained 238Nonprint 22,600 @12.5 items per sq.ft. 1,808Public network stations 100 @40.0 sq.ft. per terminal 4,000

Reader seating space 200 @ 30.0 sq.ft. per seat 6000

Staff work space 37 @137.5 sq.ft. per station 5,088

Meeting room spaceAuditorium (type 1) 250 @ 12.5 sq.ft. per seat +stage 4,125Program room 1 (type 2) 150 @ 10.0 sq.ft per seat +stage 1,800Conference / board room 16 @ 30.0 sq.ft. per seat +10 gallery 600Storytime room 1 50 @ 10.0 sq.ft. per seat +75 sq.ft. 575

Special use space Moderate allocation 10,978

Nonassignable space Low allocation 20,127

Special allowancesGarage 750Used book sale & storage 1,000Coffee / refreshment service 750Newspapers + archive magazines 300

GROSS BUILDING AREA 75,988


Strategic planning issues – expansion strategies Build on

Must integrate existing with new The site does not appear to be large enough to support full build-

out Other limitations (multiple entries, poor vertical circulation,

power dist) Build new

Designed for optimum operational effectiveness Designed for ADA compliance Supports today’s power distribution, data transmission needs Minimizes disruption of interim / construction conditions Selection of a new site Disposition of the existing building

Convert an existing structure


Strategic planning issues – site selection Site size – about 4.8 acres needed exclusive of allowance for future

expansion Building floorplate On-site parking (228-304 cars) Landscaping / easements / set-backs

Central location Cost / availability Visibility Adjacent uses / services Vehicular access / pedestrian access Topography / existing conditions Utilities Zoning


Strategic planning issues – branch library services Reasons for developing branches

Basic physical access Geographic barriers Political conditions Site constraints


Strategic planning issues – branch library services Branch library deployment

Statistics confirm the common-sense observation that larger libraries are more likely to deploy branches

The larger the community, the more branches are likely to be deployed

A population of ± 50,000 seems to be the no branch / branch tipping point

For libraries serving 60,000 to 79,999 population, 36% have no branch and 64% have one or more (15% have one, 12% have two)Population cohort n= 0 branch 1 branch 2 branch 3 branch 4 branch 5 branch >5

0-19,999 6810 95.15% 2.88% 1.06% 0.41% 0.19% 0.16% 0.15%20,000-39,999 1051 72.79% 11.89% 7.23% 3.24% 1.52% 1.33% 1.24%40,000-59,999 407 51.11% 16.71% 11.30% 6.88% 4.18% 3.19% 6.63%60,000-79,999 212 36.32% 14.62% 11.79% 14.15% 4.72% 7.08% 11.32%80,000-99,999 157 23.57% 19.75% 13.38% 10.83% 10.83% 10.19% 11.46%100,000-119,999 75 17.33% 14.67% 14.67% 16.00% 6.67% 6.67% 24.00%120,000-139,999 82 15.85% 14.63% 6.10% 17.07% 10.98% 12.20% 23.17%140,000-159,999 40 10.00% 7.50% 17.50% 15.00% 10.00% 10.00% 30.00%


Strategic planning issues – branch library services Access / drive-time studies

Drive-time survey

5 minute drive-time 10 minute drive-time 15 minute drive-time


Strategic planning issues – branch library services SUMMARY There is some evidence that introducing branch libraries may be

warranted There was some support for branch libraries voiced among key

informant and group interviews, but not overwhelmingly so Confirm current accessibility by way of a formal drive-time survey

THE BOTTOM LINE: the library’s need to address the space deficiency at the current library is greater than the imperative to expand services via branches; address those needs – ensure a strong foundation for service – before considering branch service


Strategic planning issues – staging expansion Total project costs to pursue the full build-out may be too great Evaluate sites and make selection with the full build-out in mind Scale an initial phase to accommodate the library’s IMMEDIATE

space needs + some room for growth: An optimum initial allocation would fall toward the middle of the

difference between the library’s long-term and immediate space needs


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