RE: “Library use decreases in Oyama and Cherryville” and Editorial re: “Libraries require open process“
Ah, the joys of statistics. The article citing declines in use at Okanagan Regional Library branches in the North Okanagan was based on 2011 figures recently released in our executive summary, specifically on a comparison between circulation in 2010 and 2011.
Circulation is the movement of ORL materials – when someone puts on hold on a book, or goes to pick one up in a branch or downloads an eBook from the website.
However, the way that our database counts circulation changed between 2010 and 2011, starting to code online renewals to headquarters rather than one’s individual branch. When you look at the statistics, our headquarters had a 259 per cent increase in circulation with more than 100,000 renewals attributed to it.
It’s true that some branches are more or less busy than in previous years, but it’s not accurate to imply that use of libraries has plummeted based on these figures alone. Approximately 10 per cent of circulation are renewals that are not accurately counted. Additionally, circulation is one of many measures indicating how busy the library is.
People also visit the library to use the computer stations or take in a story time or read a magazine, so looking at these figures – such as program attendance (which in 2011 was the highest it has ever been in ORL history), web hits (up 8.9 per cent), downloads of digital materials (up 151 per cent) – gives a more complete picture of the ways people use the ORL.
Marla O’Brien,
Public Relations Officer
Okanagan Regional Library
