Just Released: Public Libraries Survey Fiscal Year 2008

This annual publication is one of Retiring Guy's favorite reference sources.

From the description on the Institute of Museum and Library Services website: This report includes national and state summary data on public libraries in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with an introduction, selected findings, and several tables. The report, based on data from the Public Libraries Survey for fiscal year 2008, includes information on visitation, circulation, the availability and use of library computing resources, staffing, library collections and services, and fiscal information such as operating revenue and expenditures. The report includes several key findings: Nationwide, visits to public libraries totaled 1.50 billion, or 5.1 library visits per capita. There were 2.28 billion circulations of library materials (7.7 per capita) and 1.21 uses of Internet PCs per capita during fiscal year 2008. Starting with this year's release, the Public Libraries Survey data includes more detailed geographic information to help describe the communities that public libraries serve. In the coming year, IMLS will use this additional information to explore the ways in which libraries are meeting the needs of these diverse communities.