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Colton Public Library: Needs Assessment Study Update 8/25/1999 <br />1. General Findings <br />The following table compares some of the Colton Public Library's "vital <br />statistics" for the past ten years. <br />TABLE 1 <br />COMPARISON OF COLTON PUBLIC LIBRARY'S VITAL STATISTICS <br />FOR THE PAST DECADE, 1988-1998 <br />ITEM 1988-89 1997-98 CHANGE <br />Population <br />38,000 <br />46,624 <br />+22.7% <br />Circulation <br />206,794 <br />295,674 <br />+42.9% <br />Circulation per capita <br />4.75 <br />6.43 <br />+35A% <br />Reference quest. per capita <br />.58 <br />1.16 <br />+100.0% <br />Library Materials Budget <br />$139,666 <br />$134,658 <br />-3.6% <br />Total volumes <br />77,577 <br />76,978 <br />-.7% <br />Volumes per capita <br />2.04 <br />1.68 <br />-17.6% <br />FTE staff <br />17.00 <br />11.5 <br />-32.4% <br />Total Operating* Expenditures <br />Per capita <br />$14.26 <br />$19.15 <br />+34.3% <br />NOTE. In 1997-98, the average dollars <br />Per capita spent for operating expenses <br />By all California Municipal Libraries <br />Serving populations between <br />40,000-60,000 $ 25.51 <br />• Operating Expenses exclude capitol costs <br />While many more comparisons might easily be made, the profile that emerges <br />from Table 1 is significant. Service levels for circulation and reference have <br />increased more than the population while the size of the collections and the <br />number of FTE staff has seriously declined. The operating expenditures per <br />capita, though 1/3 greater than ten years ago, are much below the average ofmore <br />than $25.51 per capita spent by California's 15 municipal libraries serving <br />populations of similar size in 1997-98. Like its facility deficit described below, <br />attention must also be given to improving the Library's fiscal support. <br />2. Severe Overcrowding <br />Overcrowding continues to grow more severe and severely restricts library <br />services, collection development and operations. Unfortunately, this lack of space <br />prevents the Library from responding adequately to the library needs of a growing <br />community. Jammed :bookshelves, sparse seating and limited resources preclude <br />the delivery of a reasonable level of library materials and services to the people of <br />Colton. The conclusions and recommendations reached in 1989 are further <br />confirmed and reinforced. <br />2 <br />