Advocacy and the Statewide Surveys

1. Advocacy and the Statewide Surveys November 3, 2007

2. Today Review highlights from the 2006 Survey How libraries rate Economic Development Funding Key players Success stories

3. The Surveys • http://access-somd.org/mdlibsurvey/

4. Rating Public Services

5. Schools’ “G.P.A.” 2.6 Q.3 Students are often given the grades of A, B, C, D, or Fail as a way to ratethe quality of their work. Suppose the public schools themselves,in your community, were graded in the same way. What grade would you givethe public schools in your community: A, B, C, D, or Fail?

6. Schools’ G.P.A. = 2.6 Libraries’ G.P.A. = 3.4 Q.4e Using that same A through F scale, how would you rate each of these other services of your local government?…Public libraries?

7. Grading Local Services Q.4

8. Most Desired Community Asset Q.6 (Metropolitan jurisdictions): If you were moving into a new neighborhood, which of thesewould you most want to have on your own street? Q.6 (Non-metropolitan counties): If you were moving into a new community, which of thesewould you most want to have on your own street or road?

9. Essential Service or Cultural Amenity? 72% of frequent library users say “Essential Service” Q.8 Turning now to public libraries specifically, are you more likely to think of your local public library as (rotate): [an essential service like a school, (or more of) a cultural amenity like an art gallery]?

10. Public Library Services Only 31% cited Use the Internet in 2003 Q.9 Can you name two services that your local public library performs?

11. Public Library Job Ratings • Q.10 When you think about your local public library, would you say it doesa good job or could do a better job at each of these? • Having the information and materials you want or need • Being open when you want to visit • Having a branch close enough to your home or work • Providing knowledgeable staff who are courteous and efficient

12. Economic Development

13. Trip Chaining Q.20 (If visited a public library in the past year): Do you often include other errands on your trips to the public library, or not?

14. Economic Anchor 43% agreed in 2003 Q.13 Do you agree or disagree with this idea? If a public library moved into a community,it would help attract good businesses to the area.

15. Teaching Job Skills 78% agreed in 2003 Q.14 And do you agree or disagree with this idea? Public libraries improve a communityby helping people learn new skills so they can get better jobs.

16. Lifelong Learning Q.15 Do you agree or disagree? Public libraries help peoplelearn new things no matter what their age.

17. Public Library Funding

18. Good Investment of Tax Dollars 94% of frequent library users see them as a good investment. Q.16 Generally, do you think public libraries are a good investment of your tax dollars,or do you think those taxes would be better spent in other ways?

19. Counties´ Investment Q.17 If you knew that public libraries throughout Maryland typically receiveless than 2 percent of a county’s budget, would you think this was enough,or would you think more money should be invested in public libraries?

20. State Investment Q.18 If you knew that public libraries in Maryland typically receive less than 1 percentof the state's budget, would you think this was enough, or would you thinkmore money should be invested in public libraries?

21. What’ happening now?

22. Key Players

23. Key Players

24. Key Players • Committee Chairs • Subcommittee Chairs • B & T, Ways & Means, Appropriations • Staff • Delegations

25. Key Players • County officials and staffs

26. Key Players • Everyone in this room!

27. What’s happening

28. Message - Constituent Impact • On library use • On library users • Fiscal

29. Making the Case

30. Message - Economic Development

31. Libraries and Education

32. Coummunity Development

33. Legislative Success

34. Legislative Success