FAQ: California Public Libraries Survey
General questions
How do I print a copy of my entries?
You can download a PDF at any time by clicking “Print” and then the “Template” button. Sometimes, your browser might not like this; if you have trouble, contact us.
I need to change something! Is it too late?
If you finish your survey and submit it, it will appear as “Locked.” If you realize you need to add or change something, don’t panic! Contact LibraryStatistics@library.ca.gov, and we will unlock it for you.
The form in LibPAS doesn’t seem to be calculating properly.
Try hitting the “Refresh” button at the top, right of the form. This should clear up the problem. Contact us if it doesn’t!
Should I be reporting my literacy budget, staff, and programs? Or my summer programs? Or my Park Pass circulation? I’m doing the CLLS report, too, and I’m worried about duplication.
The PLS should include ALL financial, staffing, programming, and services for your library system. Please do include your literacy and summer programming statistics. The PLS and the report for CLLS are for two different purposes, and we do not combine them here at the State Library.
Section 1: Directory and Administrative Information
A lot of this is greyed out. How do I make changes?
Email changes to LibraryStatistics@library.ca.gov, and we will make them for you.
Section 2: Population and Outlets
For 2.2 Registered users, do we have to purge our records of all cardholders who have not used their card in the past three years and then report the result? Is it o.k. to NOT purge our records and just report the number of cardholders who have used their card in the last three years?
Some libraries opt to keep users in their system for longer than three years. That is fine, but you should only report the number of users who have used their card in the past three years.
The population served is already filled in. Where does this information come from?
The State Library produces an annual report of the unduplicated population served by each California public library, titled Persons Served by California Public Libraries according to the provisions of Education Code Section 18021. Population Certification Memo from the State Librarian
We have a new outlet/bookmobile or one of our outlets closed. How do we change this?
Please email changes to LibraryStatistics@library.ca.gov, and we will make those changes for you.
Section 3: Library Income
Someone donated books to us. Does this count as revenue?
No. If someone donates money to you, and the money enters your budget, count that. But do not count donations of items.
Should I count the value of State Parks Passes in Library Income?
No, you should not. Only include funding that flowed in and out of your library’s budget in Income and Expenses. DO, however, count circulation of Parks Passes under Circulation of Other Materials.
Which budget items are state-funded?
State: Literacy, Park Passes, ZipBooks, Lunch at the Library, Stronger Together, and Shared Vision funding. Building Forward infrastructure grants are state-funded, but they are reported in Capital Income, not Operating Income.
Federal: Sustainable California Libraries grants, LSTA Local & Collaborative California Libraries grants, Inspiration grants, and eBooks for All grants.
What about E-rate and CTF? How do I report these funds?
E-rate is federal and CTF (California Teleconnect Fund) is State.
However, you should only report funds if the money flowed in and out of the library budget. Discounts should not be reported. But if your library received a reimbursement, report the funds in income and don’t forget to report the expense, too.
Section 4: Library Expenditures
Do I report actual or budgeted salary expenses and benefits?
Report actual expenditures; this demonstrates what actually happened in your library, not what was budgeted for at the beginning of the year.
If we buy books for kits that go home with early learning programming, do we report that expense in 4.4 Print Materials?
Because those books were not entered into your collection, but were distributed as learning materials for a program, report these expenditures in 4.10 All other operating expenditures.
Section 5: Library Staff
Is someone who works 30 hours a week part time or full time?
Use your own library’s definition of full time and part time when counting people.
What do you mean by beginning and final salary in the salary survey?
The lowest salary posted for a position (for someone just starting in the role) and the highest salary it is possible to earn.
Section 7: Library Services
Our library checks out laptops and/or other internet-enabled devices for use in the library. Do those count as circulation of physical items? Do I answer “Yes” to the question about Laptop Lending?
If the patron cannot take the laptop out of the library, you should not report that as circulation. And if you do not allow patrons to take laptops away from the library, you should answer “no” to lending.
Should I report reference items that do not circulate for Total Print Materials held?
Yes. Even though they do not circulate, they are available for patrons in the library and they were purchased using library funds.
Do Kindles count?
If the Kindle is internet enabled, yes. If it is not, include it with Other Physical Items.
How is Hours Open, All outlets calculated?
This is a sum of the hours open for your outlets and bookmobiles.
Should I include our curbside transactions in Library Visits?
IMLS defines Library visits as the total number of persons entering the library, so curbside visits should not be included in library visits.
Where do I report our database usage? (Formerly known as “Successful retrieval of electronic information)
You do not! This data element is no longer collected.
Hoopla and Kanopy are still challenging. Do I count those in circulation of eBooks and eVideos?
If you are able to obtain the number of items that have been accessed when someone uses their library card to access material, count the circulation. If you are unable to (for example, if someone logs in and has a “session” or uses a “binge pass,” and you are unable to determine the number of items they accessed), do not.
Should I report check-outs of Palace Project (eBooks for All) items by my library patrons?
Yes, include those in your library’s in eBook circulation.
Section 7: Programming
Are virtual escape rooms counted as programs?
No, they should be reported as a self-directed activity, and the number of “plays” as participation in self-directed activities.
Are self-directed activities programs?
They do not meet IMLS’s definition of programs; do not report them in your programs numbers. Keep them and report them separately.
Do drop-in events count as programs?
If the staff member(s) give any sort of presentation to the group—”welcome to this library space, these are all the things you can do, this is how you use these tools/equipment/resources, I am here to help you, please help each other, I will be circulating to assist you as needed.” count it as a program. If the event is more of an “open house” where folks come in and use library materials or equipment on their own, and staff are available to assist if they need help, do not report it as a program.
Does signing up for Summer Reading count as Program Attendance?
Summer reading registration is not considered by the definition of this survey to be a program. Rather, a program is “any planned event” – e.g. it has a date and time attached to it. The performances during a summer reading program would be counted as programs, as should craft programs or final parties during Summer Reading. Program attendance for Summer Reading would be the people who come to planned events – including parents and siblings, as well as the target population.
For the Adult Reading Program, we have adults sign up but we don’t meet or have events. Do I count the sign-ups?
No. Think of programming stats as a measure of what the library does to bring people together as a community and have ‘face’ time with each other and/or with library staff.
How do I report a live, in-person event that is also broadcast virtually AND then made available later?
Count the program as a live, in-person event and as 1 recorded program content. Do NOT count it as a live, virtual event, too.
Are live, virtual events “off-site programs” since the attendees are not at the library?
No, off-site programs are programs offered by the library that occur outside the library. Examples include storytimes at schools, presentations at community centers, performances at farmers’ markets.
If we set up a booth at a community fair, is that an off-site program?
If there is a scheduled event (a presentation, a performance, or a class) provided by the library, yes. If the interaction with visitors in one-on-one as people visit your table, no.
Does distributing book bags at a local school count as a program?
If there is programming that accompanies the delivery of the book bags, such as a storytime, yes. If you are just dropping off book bags, that should be reported as a self-directed activity. And count the circulation of the books or kits.
Section 9: Bookmobiles
We have a new bookmobile. How can we add it?
Please contact LibraryStatistics@library.ca.gov, and we will add this for you.
Is this vehicle a bookmobile or an outreach vehicle?
A bookmobile should have all of the following:
- Paid staff
- a regular route and regular hours open to the public
- an organized collection
It is a “traveling library branch.” If your vehicle goes out as opportunities arise to provide outreach, provides programming only, does not have a collection for users to browse, it is an outreach vehicle. Contact us if you think your bookmobile should be reclassified.
Section 10: Outlets
When is a building considered “open” for this survey?
When members of the public are allowed to enter the building. If staff members were working in the building, but members of the public weren’t allowed in, the building is considered closed by IMLS.