by Susan Palmatier
State Data Coordinator

This is the first in a series of articles about the N.H. Public Library Annual Report (NHPLAR). It explains the federally imposed changes in the reporting schedule and addresses some of the issues raised periodically by those of you filling out the forms.

I have listened to librarian's concerns about the earlier deadlines for filing the FY 2000 Report. Unfortunately, it will be worse for FY2001. Because of chronic gripes about the delay in publishing the national statistics - the latest are three years old - the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) plans to tighten its schedule in order to eventually collect and publish the statistics within the same calendar year. The U.S. Census Bureau does the actual editing of the library statistics, and needs earlier deadlines in order to smooth the flow of data and thus speed up the process.

As a first step toward that goal, the State Library will send N.H. 2001 figures to Washington in late spring of 2002. They will be available for public use in the spring of 2003. This will require collecting statistics from N.H. public libraries immediately after their fiscal years end. Therefore, during June 2001 the State Library will send the Public Library Annual Report to libraries operating on a July-June fiscal year. It will be due August 31, 2001. In December 2001, the public libraries operating on a calendar year will receive their NHPLAR. It will be due March 1, 2002. I hope you will understand and cooperate with these new deadlines to the best of your ability.

There are occasional changes from one year to the next in what statistics public libraries are asked to collect. This is because the Federal-State Cooperative System (FSCS) participants have decided that such data will be useful for comparisons among libraries throughout the U.S. It takes 10 State Data Coordinators (SDCs) to propose a change. Position papers and balloting are required before any change takes place. No changes are made unless a majority of SDCs - people like me - agrees to the proposals. Only then can questions required by FSCS on the NHPLAR be added, changed, or dropped.

When new FSCS statistics are gathered, there is always a 3-year introduction period, which includes a 2-year test period: the first year, we expect figures only from libraries who already collect them; the second year, we hope for figures from everyone; the third year, we require those figures because we have to send them to Washington. I'm not sure this process has ever been clarified for N.H. libraries. For the 2001 Report, we are asking for the following data not requested last year:

• the number of hours worked weekly by all professional staff according to various work areas;
• the number of hours worked weekly by volunteers;
• young adult program attendance;
• adult program attendance;
• the number of library-sponsored programs held in the meeting room;
• the vendor of your automated circulation system;
• the name of your Internet filer, if one exists; and
  loan periods.

Most of these statistics should be easy to supply. None of these statistics are new data elements from FSCS, but data that N.H. public librarians have asked the State Library to collect.

In the future, I will announce changes as they are proposed, for your comments. As soon as I know whether new statistics will actually be collected, I'll let you know through e-mail and Granite State Libraries.

Certain data that may be too onerous to collect on a daily basis can be collected on a sample basis by using a "typical week" in October and/or April. Sampling is even recommended for certain data: the number of people visiting the library, the number of reference questions asked, and the number of people who use electronic resources. Hash marks on a pad of paper will do for recording, and your best estimate may have to suffice on an unusually busy day. Try to report real data when possible. Estimate when necessary, but please do not guess.

You will notice that the format of the 2001 Report differs from earlier years', notably in the "Personnel Data" section. The changes will allow the questionnaire to be web-enabled beginning with fiscal year 2002. In other words, those of you who have Internet access will be asked to fill out and submit your Report online for FY2002.

I hope my explanations of various points are clear. I'll be visiting Coops to talk about the NHPLAR over the next few months, and I'll continue to report developments in the statistical process in Granite State Libraries. If you have questions in the meantime, please contact me; my e-mail is spalmatier@finch.nhsl.lib.nh.us and my phone number in Lancaster is 1-800-462-1726.