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Dear Library Champion,
While many libraries are implementing their service restoration plans, they should not forget to maintain documentation of services offered during the pandemic. Many libraries closed their doors to the public for several months, but continued to serve their communities through digital collections, reference, online programs, and curbside pickup and delivery. There are several ways for libraries to capture these numbers, which could be included in an annual report, or other presentation to council.
Counting Opinions has released their eMeasures Snapshot Survey, which is offered as a free resource to subscribers. Participation is voluntary, as are all questions in the survey. Patrons select a count week to report data, and have until August 31 to submit their information. Counting Opinions will gather the information, aggregate it, and provide participants with an infographic created from their data. The questions can be previewed here, and an FAQ here.
Another way to demonstrate your library’s value is through a social return on investment (SORI), which can help demonstrate the financial and social impact of a non-profit organization. Many libraries have started utilizing SROI’s to demonstrate their value to their stakeholders and communities, and are beneficial to demonstrate what tax dollars and grants are “buying”. Spruce Grove Public Library in Alberta has made their SROI available on their website. Ontario Library Services North has provided a free, online tool kit to help libraries create their own social return on investment reports.
In addition to creating an SROI to demonstrate the value your library adds to your community, a return on investment (ROI) can help demonstrate the value of the physical and digital resources available by showing the value gained from these purchases. Some libraries have the ability to show patrons how much they save by borrowing materials from their local library instead of purchasing the item.
The eMeasures Snapshot Survey and SROIs/ROIs can be valuable additions to your annual report narrative. Writing a compelling annual report is an important part of communicating with your stakeholders, local councils, and communities. It is important to keep in mind that your annual report may be one of the only methods of communication on the status of the library that is seen by stakeholders, and should contain enough information to give a clear snapshot of the library.
Demonstrating continuing value to stakeholders is very important, even more so during times of uncertainty. By maintaining ongoing records of usage and activities on a regular basis can help ensure that no information is lost or forgotten, and can be called upon as needed. In addition to annual reports, your library should offer monthly statistics at board meetings so these reports are captured in official minutes and can be taken back to councils to keep them informed on how your library is continuing to serve your community.
Additional web resources
Non-profit Annual Reports
ROI Calculator
State Library of Iowa Annual Report Template
Springfield Public Library Annual Reports
Lakeland Regional Library Annual Reports
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