Every fall, many librarians await the release of the Hennen Indexes, which ranks public libraries nationwide based on data such as expenditures per capita and circulation per capita. In an effort to provide a more accurate assessment of library quality, McPherson Public Library Director Steve Read developed the Kansas Public Library Rankings.
Read structured the Kansas Public Library Rankings to include measurements omitted from the Hennen Index, such as children’s programming attendance, facility size, and interlibrary loan activity. He also eliminated data elements which many considered to be redundant and made significant other changes. Read’s index rates Kansas public libraries using twelve data elements, half of which reflect library resources and half reflect usage. Some of the measures which comprise the ranking for each public library include: collection items per capita, annual hours open per capita, circulation per capita, and visits per capita.
“The 325 public libraries in Kansas work hard at serving diverse populations from under 50 people to almost over 375,000,” commented Read. “If someone has to rate them, then I want that system to be as fair and accurate as possible.” The data source of the Kansas Public Library Rankings is the annual state reports for Kansas public libraries that are compiled in the National Center for Education Statistic--Public Libraries Survey. Read sees the KPLR as a vehicle for libraries seeking to improve their funding or services. “I hope that library boards and library staff can use the rankings to identify successes as well as highlight areas for improvement.”
The Girard Public Library is classified as a Major Service Center 1 (serving populations of 2,500 to 9,999). There are 68 libraries that fall into this classification.Taking into account the above criteria the Girard Public Library came in 2nd with a composite score of 792 to Coffey County Library’s composite score of 853. The resources score was Girard 399 and Coffey County, Burlington 365, the usage score was Girard 393 and Coffey County 488. As director I take pride in the the Girard Public Library, its staff and service to the community. This ranking is what makes it all worth the effort.
