Wisconsin Public Libraries: Book, Audio, and Video Holdings

From the Wisconsin Public Library Service Data.

The number of books and serial volumes owned has remained relatively flat since 2003.  I'd guess that two factors are responsible for this trend.

• Reduction in the number of serial volumes owned.
• Flat levels of expenditures for print materials since 2004.  (Yes, this will be looked at in another series.)

Except for 1992, the number of audio holdings shows steady growth, with a period of substantial increases from the late 1990s to the mid 2000s.

The number of video holdings shows continuing strong and steady growth since 1990.

In the case of the Middleton Public Library.....

• From my own files.  
• 1991 was the first full year of operation in a new building.
• The statistics for 2008 are a "snapshot" taken on June 30.

First of all, this next table ("Books") is not quite an apples to apples comparison, as it doesn't include serial volumes.

The dip from 2000 to 2003 reflects two factors.

• Running out of shelf space for growing book collections in all areas:  adult, young adult, children's.
• An aggressive, ongoing weeding project to address the above and to prepare for a major renovation and expansion project (September 2003 to March 2004).

Two explanatory notes:

• The dip in 2004 reflects a serious weeding of the books on tape collection.  
• By the end of 2007, Middleton eliminated its music audiocassette collection and further reduced its books on tape holdings.

By the end of 2007, the Middleton public library eliminated its videocassette collection.

Other tables:
Circulation per hour.  (10/26/2012)
County revenue including non-system county payments. (10/25.2012)
Municipal, county, all other revenue.  (10/17/2012)
Total programs and attendance.  (10/14/2012)
Other (i.e., mostly adult) programs and attendance.  (10/12/2012)
Young adult programs and attendance. (10/12/2012)
Children's programs and attendance.  (10/11/2012)
Books, audio, video. (10/9/2012)