Manhattan Public LibraryAnalyzing and trimming the children's collection

LI855Alphild Dick, Ruth Harries, & Melendra Sanders

2010 Census Number Percent

Total Population 52,281

White alone 43,645 83.48%

American Indian & Alaska native alone 261 .5%

Asian alone 2,689 5.14%

Black or African American alone 2886 5.52%

Native Hawaiian & other Pacific native alone

83 .16%

Hispanic or Latino origin 3,053 5.84%

Other race alone 907 1.73%

Two or more races 1,810 3.46%

Community Served: Manhattan, KS

• Some MPL statistics for 2011:o 10,757 children hold library cards to MPLo 44,248 items currently in the Children's collectiono Children's materials circulated 345,508 times

Children of Manhattan

• According to the 2010 Census, in Manhattan, there are:o 2,902 newborn to four-year-olds (5.6% of population)o 2,193 five to nine-year-olds (4.2% of population)o 1,792 ten to fourteen-year-olds (3.4% of population)*

* U.S. Census Bureau: American FactFinder: DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics 2010.

Others served by the collection

Manhattan:

• Parents and guardians

• Teachers

• KSU education and literature students

Children & Parents of surrounding communities:- Geary and Pottawatomie Counties

- Fort Riley

The Collection Policy

• Children's librarian responsible for children's collection

• Materials selected:o Reflect community demographics and areas of interesto Are based on popular demand, timeliness, positive

reviews, artistic merit, etc.

• Collections are intended to:o Stimulate the imaginationo Provide materials to read, view, and listen for pleasureo Support early literacyo Help patrons find, evaluate, and use information

Children's Collection at MPL: Formats

Boardbooks Juvenile fiction Book discussion kits

Novelty books Juvenile non-fiction Professional collection

Discovery packs Juvenile graphic novels

Parents & Teacher Shelf

Easy Readers Juvenile foreign language

Readers' Advisory

Toddler books Large print

Storybook Boxes Magazines

Scope and Levels

Format Target Level

Boardbooks Infant-2 years 1

Easy Readers K-2nd grade 2

Picturebooks Preschool-2 years 2

Novelty Books K-6th grade 1

Storybook Boxes 1 year-1st grade 1

Toddler Books Infant-3 years 1

Discovery Packs K-6th 1

Juvenile Fiction 3rd-6th grade 2

Juvenile Non-fiction K-6th grade 2

Juvenile Graphic Novels K-6th grade 1

Juvenile Reference Adult 2

Scope and Levels, par deux

Parent's Shelf Adult 2

Juvenile magazines toddler--6th grade 2

Juvenile Audiobooks Preschool-6th grade 1

Juvenile DVDs Baby-6th grade 1

Juvenile Music CDS Baby-6th grade 1

E-books Preschool-6th grade 1

Current State of the Collection

• Bookso For very young readers

Board Book: 770 Easy Reader: 2,984 Picture Books: 10,856 Toddler Book: 951

o For older readers Fiction: 7,940 Graphic Novel: 1,420 Non-Fiction: 9,571 Reader's Advisory: 129

o For teachers and parents Parents' Shelf: 698

Current State of the Collection, cont.

• Mediao Audio Book Bag: 342o Blu-Ray: 157o Book on CD: 785o DVD: 2,121o Music CD: 627

• Miscellaneouso Book Discussion Kit: 13o Discovery Pack: 50o Magazine: 32 titles (not included in children's budget)o Storybook Box: 46

Assessing the collection: Turning data into action!

Current Book Budget Allocations

 

Easy Readers 4,000

Juvenile Fiction 13,000

Juvenile Graphic Novels 5,500

Storybook Boxes, Discovery Packs 500

Juvenile Spanish or other languages 300

Juvenile Large Print Fiction 200

Juvenile Nonfiction 9,000

Novelty books 200

Special events giveaways 500

Parent & Teacher books 1,000

Juvenile Picture books/Toddler books/ Board books 18,000

Juvenile Reference - Readers' Advisory 300

Professional Collection 500

Totaling $53,000

Current AV Budget Allocations

Audiobooks 3,200

Music CDs 800

DVDs 10,000

Blu-rays 2,000

Totalling $16,000

Collection Lifetime Circulation Items Average use/ item Budget

Children's Discovery Pack 3,047 47 65 500

Storybook Boxes 5,432 45 121

Children's Blu-Ray 7,150 192 37 2,000

Children's Audio Book Bag 9,788 360 27 3,200

Books on CD 30,092 810 37

Children's Music CD 26,289 637 41 800

Children's Picture Book 526,410 11,781 45 18,000

Toddler Book 47,527 1,101 43 Board Book 25,089 925 27 Children's Graphic Novel 49,828 1,549 32 5,500

Children's DVD 164,592 2,595 63 10,000

Children's Easy Reader 194,789 3,440 57 4,000

Children's Fiction 238,123 8,951 27 13,000

Large Print Fiction Unable to distinguish in this report 200

Children's Nonfiction 281,568 10,527 27 9,000

World Languages Unable to distinguish 300

Juvenile Reference Non-circulating 141 Non-circulating 300

Novelty books Unable to distinguish in this report 200

Parents & Teacher books 13,436 831 16 1,000

Special events giveaways Do not remain in collection 500

Professional Collection Storytime Resources & Professional Development 500

Collection Areas, Circulation Statistics, & Budget Information

Strategic Thinking

• Low-hanging fruito Collections with low circulation or that few people useo Collections with associated technology issueso Collections that do not "belong" in the children's area

Initial Cuts to the Budget

• 15% budget cut = $10,350

• Easy Decisions:o Novelty Books = $200o Parent & Teacher Books = $1,000o Readers' Advisory Books = $300o Professional Collection = $500

• Total = $2,000

Left to cut = $8,350

Collection Lifetime Circulation Items Average use/ item Budget

Children's Discovery Pack 3,047 47 65 0

Storybook Boxes 5,432 45 121

Children's Blu-Ray 7,150 192 37 -2,000

Children's Audio Book Bag 9,788 360 27 -1,000

Books on CD 30,092 810 37

Children's Music CD 26,289 637 41 0

Children's Picture Book 526,410 11,781 45 1,425

Toddler Book 47,527 1,101 43

Board Book 25,089 925 27

Children's Graphic Novel 49,828 1,549 32 0

Children's DVD 164,592 2,595 63 -2,000

Children's Easy Reader 194,789 3,440 57 0

Children's Fiction 238,123 8,951 27 -1,425

Large Print Fiction Unable to distinguish in this report 0

Children's Nonfiction 281,568 10,527 27 -500

World Languages Unable to distinguish in this report0

The rest of the cuts:$8,350 + previous $2,000 = $10,350!

Future Strategies

• Develop a collection development policy specific to children's materialso Use criteria such as supplying classics, collecting

popular materials, and books with awards

• Assess data regularly to determine whether or not to continue collecting in certain areas

• Regularly evaluate standing order circulationso Determine which series to eliminate, increase, or

find read-alikes for

• Plan for the future inclusion of electronic resources in the children's collection

Future Assessment of Budget Cuts

• In 5 years, assess whether and how proposed eliminations have affected:o Library patronso Library programmingo Library services, such as Readers' Advisoryo Children's material circulation statistics?