Public libraries (NSW) benchmarking database.

A public libraries (NSW) benchmarking database has been established containing pilot data for ten libraries, eight metropolitan and two country public library services. It: is available on CDRom and on the internet at http://www.slnsw.gov.au/plb/benchmrk/home.htm.

The pilot was funded with a $20,000 grant to North Sydney Council under the local government development program. The project has potential application Australia wide. The steering committee for the project included representatives from North Sydney Council (Project Manager), State Library of NSW, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW, Metropolitan Public Libraries Association, Country Public Libraries Association, Public Library Evaluation Group and Alia, as well as the funding federal department.

The elements of the database comprise

* Twenty two indicators selected by the steering committee from a range of state and national sources

* Costs presented as a statement of operations (the statement of library income and expenditure which accompanies each library's subsidy application each year)

* A `library in context' statement including background details of each library council area and the characteristics and service priorities of the libraries concerned

The presentation is in Netscape, stamped to disc. Design principles include

* the user should be able to gain a picture of the whole service, not just a part

* the measures presented should be conducive to encouraging best practice

* the measures should be accurate and consistent

* collecting the measures should not be a disproportionately expensive exercise, nor be so onerous as to interfere with service to the public

* they should reflect the fact that libraries are part of their council as a whole, and operate under the constraints and opportunities which that entails

The pilot disc includes data by library, data by indicator, statement of operations and library in context. It has data for 1994/95, and all NSW public libraries are currently contributing their data for 1995/96, to be published soon.

The ready availability of this information will enable libraries to develop benchmarking for comparison with appropriate partners. In this context, the Australian classification of local governments has been adopted as a basis for benchmarking clusters.

The indicators

Population Total expenditure Expenditure per capita Total circulation Circulation per capita Requests per annum Expenditure per issue Average number of issues per volume

(excluding reference stock) Total number of library resources Percentage of library resources less that

5.5 years old Acquisitions Library resources per head of

population Expenditure per item added Total members active in the last two

years Total library visits Library visits per capita Number of qualified librarians (eft) Population served per qualified librarian Total staff (eft) Population served per equivalent

fulltime staff Number of service points (including

bookmobiles) Opening hours per week

(Notes are attached to each indicator to clarify definitions etc)

Further information is available from

Martin Ellis
Library Director
Stanton Library
234 Miller Street
North Sydney NSW 2060
Tel [phone] Fax [phone]

Copies of the CDRom will be sent on receipt of a stamped, self addressed computer disc mailer. Postage NSW 85c, other states 95c.