Public Library Circulation, Anonymized Patron Access Records, and Budget Information
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| Submitted | Feb. 22, 2020 |
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Communications
From: Bree Norlander
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Ohio Open Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
1. Total circulation of library materials (broken down by material type) for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. Please provide these as aggregated monthly totals for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. If possible please include the following details:
-Total physical item circulation (delineated by first time check-outs versus renewals)
-Total number of circulations of electronic materials
-Total circulation
-Electronic Content Use
-Total Collection Use
2. Lost library items aggregated monthly for 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
3. Patron circulation records including material due dates and material return dates for 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. If possible, please provide these as hashed (de-identified but with unique key per patron).
4. Annual itemized library budget 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 including any donations made to the library. Please provide a record of donations collected aggregated monthly for these years. Please also provide a description of how donations are solicited.
5. The total revenue of fines and total revenue of fees collected 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
6. The current library policy on fines and fees and the date this policy took effect as well as dates of changes to the policy between 2016 and today.
7. The definition (if any) your library uses for "active borrower".
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This request is part of a research project by the Information School at the University of Washington to better understand how removal of library fines affects library circulation, patron visits, and library budgets. We are committed to open access and plan to make our findings broadly available to the public. If fees cannot be waived please inform us in advance.
We ask that, if possible, you please respond via email with data files in machine-readable format (examples include .csv, .txt., .xls/x) or if applicable text documents or clear, high-quality scanned PDFs. If you cannot reply electronically, please mail us the best quality copies you reasonably can. Your efforts help us ensure broad accessibility and equity.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days.
Sincerely,
Bree Norlander
From:
To Bree
Norlander,
February 26, 2020
Here are attachments for the information you requested.
*Request #1*
2016-2019 Circulation report
1st time checkout and renewals report
Please define electronic consent use – we have local, state and consortium
statistics
*Request #2*
MCB Lost library items for 2016-2019
*Request #3*
Our system does not retain patron circulation information. The information
is removed from the system 3 days after the item is returned.
*Request #4*
Appropriation status for years 2016-2019. Donations are not solicited.
Patrons may purchase memorial or honor books to place in the library.
*Request #5*
Revenue status report for fines, fees and donations.
*Request #6*
Current library policy on fines and fees
*Request #7*
Our consortium – Serving Every Ohioan - defines an active borrower as
someone who uses their card within a 3-year time frame. If a card is
inactive for 3 years the patron is purged from the system.
Jane Schaffner, Director
McComb Public Library
113 S. Todd St.
McComb, OH 45858
419-293-2425
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From: Bree Norlander
Dear Jane,
Thanks so much for your help with this request! Your response will greatly assist us with our research into the elimination of fines in public libraries.
Sincerely,
Bree Norlander
Research Analyst & Coordinator
University of Washington Information School
norlab@uw.edu
Files
pages
