In May 2020, the Panorama Project and Library Journal teamed up to survey public librarians to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing mandates were impacting their circulation and programming decisions. Nearly 400 respondents from 36 states and Canada completed the survey, offering a useful snapshot of an increase in digital circulation and spending, an aggressive shift to virtual programming and events, and a conservative outlook on when their buildings might reopen to patrons.
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31 percent of respondents served populations of 25,000 or less
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30 percent between 25,000-99,000
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39 percent over 100,000
15 percent of respondents were from Canada and are included in the overall results and population served breakouts.
KEY FINDINGS
ACCESS & CIRCULATION
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Essentially all (99 percent) public libraries had closed to the public by the end of April 2020, while nearly 20 percent were offering curbside pickup of materials.
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For the most part, libraries did not know when they might be opening up again. Only 4 percent of respondents thought they would be re-opening in May, but whether they did or not is unknown.
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Just over half of public libraries (55 percent) have coordinated with local schools to support students’ access to physical and/or digital materials.
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Libraries serving populations over 100,000 were far more likely to coordinate with their local schools than smaller libraries, 63 percent vs. 46 percent.
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92 percent reported circulation of physical materials has reduced significantly since the COVID-19 crisis, while 80 percent reported circulation of digital materials has increased significantly.
MATERIALS BUDGET
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Approximately one-third of respondents have shifted significant spending away from physical books and audiobooks, and DVDs/Blu-rays, while increasing spending on digital collections to serve their patrons from home.
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More than half of respondents indicated their spending on ebooks and digital audiobooks had significantly increased, and nearly one-third indicated their spending on streaming media had significantly increased.
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Three-quarters indicated they have been licensing additional digital content to reduce holds to copy ratios.
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Respondents were split on prioritizing simultaneous use licenses of digital content—44 percent were making that a priority, while 47 percent were not.
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In terms of the immediate impact on public libraries’ fiscal year 19/20 materials budgets, 34 percent have shifted their spending away from some materials (primarily print books and physical audiobooks) and towards others (primarily ebooks and digital audiobooks).
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32 percent reported no impact on their materials budget
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10 percent had their budgets frozen
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19 percent had their budgets reduced
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NOTE: Nearly half of libraries serving smaller populations reported no impact, possibly suggesting limited flexibility at the end of the fiscal year.
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60 percent of respondents said it is too soon to tell what impact the public health crisis will have on their FY 2020/2021 materials budgets.
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11 percent predicted no change
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24 percent predicted a modest or significant decrease
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5 percent (optimists!) predicted an increase
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LIBRARY PROGRAMMING & EVENTS
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Nearly all respondents (99 percent) have had to cancel, reschedule, or move previously scheduled in-person programming online.
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47 percent have canceled or rescheduled in-person events through at least August 2020
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Libraries serving larger populations have been more conservative than the average, with more than half canceling events through August or beyond.
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70 percent of respondents had already put an author visit or other book-related programming online, while another 17 percent were planning to.
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The most common collections-related programs libraries put online or planned to put online:
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Story time (94 percent)
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Summer reading (86 percent)
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Book clubs (78 percent)
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Readers’ advisory service (66 percent)
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The Panorama Project plans to conduct a follow-up survey later this summer for an updated snapshot of how libraries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and relaxed social distancing mandates have evolved.
https://www.panoramaproject.org/covid-19-impact-on-public-libraries
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