Public Libraries: Measuring Their Value

ABSTRACT

Funding cuts and greater emphasis on expenditure justification in the public sector have sparked studies which attempt to demonstrate the financial return on investment of public libraries, with most of these conducted in larger urban centers. Northern Ontario, a vast region with a population less than one million, primarily Anglophone and francophone settlers and numerous Indigenous communities, served by tiny libraries, required a unique approach. A literature review and community input identified seven key sectors together with indicators for measurement. The Toolkit¹ designed by this research illustrates how to calculate an SROI that may better serve communities and improve funders’ decision-making.

KEYWORDS:

• Libraries as hubs
• Social Return on Investment (SROI)
• valuing libraries
• valuing rural libraries

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge and thank the members of the Advisory Committee for their valuable input – without them, this research would not have been possible. Members included: Leanne Clendening-Purpur and Marjatta Asu from OLS-N; Rebecca Hunt, City of Temiskaming Shores Public Library; Michael Dawber, Rainy River Public Library; Sherry Mishibinijama, Wikwemikkong Band Library; Dayna DeBenedet, Dryden Public Library; Marie Rosset, Powassan & District Union Public Library, and Crystal Alcock, Kenora Public Library

Notes

1. Available online at: http://home.olsn.ca/images/Resources/EN/18.01.10–LibraryToolkit_Version_8.0-English.pdf.

2. NB: to ensure validity, the indicators were based on data already collected by the libraries and were given equal weighting. In some cases, data were collected during the libraries Typical Week Survey data collection which takes place in November of each year.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gayle Broad

Dr. Gayle Broad is a Research Associate with NORDIK Institute and Associate Professor Emerita at Algoma University.

Jude Ortiz

Dr. Jude Ortiz is senior Research Coordinator at NORDIK Institute and a visual artist.

Sean Meades

Sean Meades is Director of NORDIK Institute and Assistant Professor in Community Economic and Social Development at Algoma University.