Have you scheduled your library’s annual survey week this October to collect data for the public library annual report?
The annual report requires an annual count of reference transactions, library visits and use of public computers. However, if a library is not able to maintain an annual count for any of these data elements, it is recommended that the library do a tally during a “typical” week or weeks, and then multiply the count to make an annual estimate.
A “typical” week is a time that is neither unusually busy nor unusually slow. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Public Library Development Team recommends that a survey week be conducted in the month of October. They further recommend that a more rigorous sample survey than a typical week be used if available as it may yield more accurate results.
More information on scheduling a tally week is available on page 15 of the 2022 Wisconsin Public Library Annual Report Instructions and in the October 26, 2018 Wisconsin Libraries for Everyone blog post The Annual Report – Survey Week Reminder.
If clarification or other assistance is needed, please reach out to WVLS Director Marla Sepnafski at director@WVLS.org.