These interactive tools can help answer questions that frequently arise in library advocacy, such as finding local demographic information and comparing your library to others in terms of funding, programs, population, collections, and more. Know other useful fact finders? Email suggestions to research@actforlibraries.org.

E-metrics Instructional System

E-metrics Instructional System was designed by faculty at the Information Use Management & Policy Institute at Florida State University in Tallahassee Florida. This tool was designed to give library administrators, practitioners, and researchers an introductory course on library metrics. The courseware will show you how to use library automation system data to build reports, make collection management decisions, and advocate for budget increases based on circulation and use data. The E-metrics Instructional System was built to be a self-paced learning experience with several modules.

Public Library Geographic Database (PLGDB)

The GeoLib Public Library Geographic Database (PLGDB) is a project of the Florida State University College of Information and Library Science Program. The database is the first-ever National Public Library Geographic Database. It includes the locations of America’s 16,000 public libraries, population characteristics from the US Census that best describe people who use libraries, and library use statistics from the National Center for Educational Statistics. The project partner is FSU’s Information Institute. This is a very dense database and we highly recommend downloading and reading the pdf tutorial to find your way around.

NCES Library Comparison Tool

The NCES Library Comparison Tool is a quick way of getting aggregated data about a specific public library. Try entering your hometown library to view funding, program, population, collection and use data in spreadsheet form. This program allows you to view two or more library locations in cascading “tile” views.