BCLS Best Practices

Texas Public Library Annual Report

Big Country Library System

www.abilenetx.com/

apl/big_country.html.

 

202 Cedar Street

Abilene, TX 79603

 

 

The Texas State Library provides a wealth of information about the annual report on its website, including an extensive file of frequently asked questions (faqs). Go to http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/arsma/.

 

The annual report is completed and submitted electronically. Go to http://collect.informata.com/. After logging in, click <Instructions> on the Survey Navigator to open instructions for completing the annual report. View a printable version of both the instructions and the survey form. Print both for future use. The instructions, along with the faqs on the TSLAC website, should provide you with all the information you need to complete and submit the report. Use the printed copy of the survey as a rough draft.

 

Completing the annual report is simplified by keeping accurate and detailed accounts of expenditures and income, and by collecting monthly statistics. Keep a running total of expenditures and income. Create a spreadsheet to keep track of statistics required in the annual report such as computer use, program attendance, and circulation.

 

 

 

 

While all of the information in the annual report is important, certain pieces of information are more important than others. The important items on the report are those that correspond to the minimum requirements for membership in the library system.

 

3.18 Indirect Costs

An indirect cost is a cost for a service (such as maintenance, purchasing, accounting, or payroll) not assigned to the library’s budget, but paid for by a local government agency. Report indirect costs only when your library has trouble meeting the maintenance of effort requirement. You must document the indirect costs with a letter from the government agency providing the service.

 

 

3.19 Total Operating Expenditures

 

 

4.1-4.3 Local Financial Effort

 

 

 

4.1 Asks how much of the amount on 3.12 (Library Collection Expenditures) were funds from local sources. Local sources include government entities such as city, county, library district, and school district, as well as donations, fees, fines, and memorials. Do not include Loan Star Libraries funds. [Deduct from the amount on 3.12 any funds spent on materials from Loan Star Libraries, Tocker Foundation, or other grant funds.]

 

4.2 Asks how much of the amount on 3.19 (Total Operating Expenditures) were funds from local sources. This is the most important item on the report because it pertains to your library’s maintenance of effort. Local sources include government entities such as city, county, library district, and school district, as well as donations, fees, fines, and memorials. Include documented indirect costs (3.18) when necessary to meet maintenance of effort. Do not include Loan Star Libraries funds. In most cases the amount on 4.2 will be the difference between the amount on 3.19 and your library’s Loan Star Libraries allocation. The amount on 4.2 should never exceed the amount on 3.19. [Deduct from the amount on 3.19 any operating funds from Loan Star Libraries, Tocker Foundation, or other grant funds.]

 

 

4.3 Asks how much of the amount on 4.2 were funds from local government sources only. Local government sources include city, county, library district, and school district. Do not include other local sources such as donations, fees, fines, and memorials. Do not include Loan Star Libraries funds.

 

 

5.1-5.13 Library Income By Source

The total amount you report as library income will not necessarily equal the total amount of expenditures reported, you may have greater income than expenditures for example. Do not report funds spent by the library system on your library’s behalf. Do not report salaries not paid by your library, as in the case of Experience Works employees.

 

 

6.0 Does the library have a catalog of its holdings available to the public that is searchable, either manually or electronically, at a minimum by author, title, and subject? By local fiscal year 2006, you must answer “Yes” to this question for your library (13 TAC, Section 1.83).

 

 

6.16 TOTALS Volumes, Items or Physical Units

Public Libraries must maintain a collection size appropriate to the population served by the library as stated in 13 TAC, Section 1.81. For libraries serving up to 25,000 persons, the requirement is one item of library materials per capita with a minimum of 7,500 items held. For libraries serving more than 25,000, the requirement is one item of library materials per capita or expend at least 25% of local expenditures on the purchase of library materials.

 

 

 

7.10 Does the library have a long-range plan?

 By local fiscal year 2006, you must answer “Yes” to this question for your library (13 TAC, Section 1.83). Your library’s governing board must approve the long-range plan, which should be renewed and updated at least every five years and include a collection development section.

 

 

7.11-7.12 Does the library have available a photocopier for use by staff? The public?

 

 

8.7 How many hours per week is the Head Librarian currently employed in library duties?

 

 

8.8 Has the Head Librarian obtained a minimum of 10 hours of continuing education credits within the reporting period?

By local fiscal year 2005, a public library director must earn a minimum of ten hours continuing education credits annually. Continuing education activities for which you can supply documentation of participation, duration, and relevance to the operation of a library may include workshops, library association meetings, and correspondence courses. Library system meetings, board meetings, public hearings, and other business meetings are not considered continuing education activities. Colleges or universities must be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or a comparable regional accrediting commission.

 

 

9.1 Does your library borrow materials via interlibrary loan?

9.3 Does your library lend materials via interlibrary loan?

By local fiscal year 2005, you must answer “Yes” to these questions for your library (13 TAC, Section 1.83). Your library must be a full participant in the interlibrary loan resource sharing service by both borrowing materials for its patrons, and agreeing to lend its materials to other libraries as requested.

 

 

10.1 Does your library have a computer with Internet access for use by staff?

10.2 Does your library have a computer with Internet access for use by the public?

 

 

 

 

 

11.12 Library Hours (WEEKLY TOTAL)

 

Suggestions on compiling statistical information required for the annual report:

 

6.1-6.18 Library Collection

Using your automated library system, you should be able to determine the size of your collection. If your entire collection is not automated, you can estimate the size of your collection by counting the number of items on a shelf, then multiplying by the number of shelves in your collection. Use the following as guidelines:

 

 

7.1-7.12 Local Library Services:

 

7.1 Reference Transactions

Daily log kept at reference or public services desk. Compile monthly.

 

7.2 Circulation Transactions

Run monthly circulation reports on your automated library system.

 

7.3 Circulation of Juvenile Materials

Run monthly circulation reports on your automated system. You should be able to run circulation reports by call number, material type, location, etc.

 

7.4 Library Programs

Use Outlook Calendar or a daily, weekly, or monthly planner. Compile statistics monthly.

 

7.5 Program Attendance (Total)

Program registration sheets, or manual count of attendees. Compile statistics monthly.

 

7.6 Children’s Programs

Use Outlook Calendar or a daily, weekly, or monthly planner. Compile statistics monthly.

 

7.7 Children’s Programs Attendance

Program registration sheets, or manual count of attendees. Compile statistics monthly.

 

7.8 Library Visits (Gate Count)

Use an automatic counter on the door and record daily (remember to divide by 2 as the counter counts patrons entering and leaving). Keep a daily log at the circulation or public services desk for a manual count of patrons. Compile statistics monthly or more frequently.

 

7.9 Registered Borrowers

Run a report on your automated system.

 

 

 

8.1-8.8 Library Staffing and Salaries

8.1-8.4 One full-time equivalent (FTE) employee works 2,080 hours per year (40X52). For employees working less than full-time, divide the number of hours worked per year by 2,080 to determine the percentage FTE. For example:

 

In the Anytown Library, employee A works 25 hours/week, and employee B works 18 hours/week. To determine the total FTE staffing for this library:

Employee A 25X52=1,300                        Employee B 18X52=936

1,300/2080= .63 FTE                                   936/2080= .45 FTE

 

.63 +.45 = 1.08 FTE

 

10.4 How many users of electronic resources in the library were there during the year (in library use only)? Electronic resources include Internet (www, e-mail, etc.), online databases, CD-ROM reference sources, application software (word processing, spreadsheet), educational and children’s software, and the online catalog.

Keep a manual count using computer signup logs, or employ software to track usage.