FY24 "Big Stats Book"
Now Published

Just last week, State Library Communications Specialist Emily Bainter announced that the newest compilation of Iowa Public Library Statistics has been published.  Every spring, the State Library provides this annual publication, taken from the data contributed to the Public Library Annual Survey.  

The “Big Stats Book,” as it’s come be known, contains data on library income and expenditures, director salaries, library collection size, circulation numbers, program attendance, and much more.  Each section of the document is first arranged by population size code, then alphabetically by city name.  Totals for population group comparisons, as well as statewide averages, are shown immediately following the alphabetical listings.

Of the 544 public libraries in Iowa, 515 submitted an annual survey for FY24. Only those public libraries that submitted a verified annual survey are included in the report.  The data from all of the verified surveys are then compiled for a statewide look at the vitality of library service in Iowa; this data is useful for comparison purposes as well.

Public library statistics are used at the local, state, and national levels. They are used to compare library activities, justify budget requests, track data over time, assist in planning and evaluation, All 50 states collect information according to guidelines and definitions established by the Public Library Statistics Cooperative (PLSC)

Notable FY24 Statistics From The Report

• In FY24, Iowa public library cardholders totaled 1,749,934. Iowa is ranked 8th in the nation per capita for registered borrowers according to FY21 data (the most recent national data available)
• People made more than 12.6 million visits to Iowa public libraries during FY24, an increase of 6.2% from FY23
• Iowa libraries circulated nearly 16 million physical items and more than 4.7 million digital items. Physical items were shared between libraries via interlibrary loan over 430,000 times
• More than 117,000 library programs were offered and attended by 2.2 million people, a 10% increase from FY23

All proving that Iowa’s public libraries are go-to places for information, recreation, and community connection 😊  The Iowa Public Library Statistics is an important publication and a very useful resource when tackling a comparison of like-size libraries.  Emily has posted an infographic on the State Library’s Facebook page, find a PDF version of the full FY24 document linked below 

Iowa Public Library Statistics FY24

Now Through May 29

OverDrive’s current Big Library Read book is Uncommon Measure by Natalie Hodges.  This book is currently available for simultaneous downloads in Ebook and audiobook format until May 29. 

Big Library Read is a global reading program, literally a worldwide digital version of a local book discussion club.  Sponsored by OverDrive, this program represents an opportunity to connect your local readers with book lovers around the world as they read and discuss the same book at the same time without wait lists or holds. 

About Uncommon Measure

From OverDrive’s website: “How does time shape consciousness? Do we live in time, or does time live in us? And how does music, with its patterns of rhythm and harmony, inform our experience of time?

Uncommon Measure explores these questions from the perspective of a young Korean American who dedicated herself to perfecting her art until performance anxiety forced her to give up the dream of becoming a concert solo violinist. Anchoring her story in illuminating research in neuroscience and quantum physics, Hodges traces her own passage through difficult family dynamics, prejudice, and enormous personal expectations to come to terms with the meaning of a life reimagined—one still shaped by classical music but moving toward the freedom of improvisation.

Point your patrons to Bridges to download the book and to The Big Library Read website at the button below.  There’s you’ll find social media graphics, marketing kit, and a press release to help with local promotion, along with book club discussion questions.  And this cool feature: an online discussion board to join this global book group, sharing your thoughts and your patrons’ thoughts about the book. 

With just shy of 2 weeks to go, there’s still time to tell your
book clubs and promote to your patrons 😊

More About Big Library Read

For Meeting Room Reservations 

The development team at WhoFi has rolled out some enhancements that WhoFi library customers will be happy to hear about.  There are six new features all told, streamlining meeting room scheduling and patron discovery, thanks to library staff feedback.  And today, my thanks to WhoFi Marketing Director Christian Gutteridge who provided this summary:

New Meeting Room Scheduling Features

• Kiosk Mode: a live schedule can now appear on any tablet or monitor inside the library, and patrons can reserve a vacant room right from that screen.
• No spare device? Then post a QR flyer outside the room; scanning it lets visitors view availability and book a room from their phones in seconds.
• Week Grid & Scrollable List Views: these new calendar layouts make it easier to spot free slots and add a meeting room reservation with one click.
• Prevent Same-Day Bookings: now staff can require advance notice—such as 24 hours—so meeting rooms aren’t snagged at the last minute.
• Room Tags: allow staff to label spaces as Study, Makerspace, Outdoor, and more; staff can filter by tag now, with patron filtering available.
• Export Bookings: staff can download filtered bookings (including notes and form responses) for board packets, grants, or custom analysis.

For questions or more information on any of these product updates, please contact WhoFi Support at support@whofi.com   And if you have other ideas that could improve your WhoFi experience, contact Christian Gutteridge at marketing@whofi.com.

 WhoFi For Iowa Public Libraries

Director Roundtables continue this week and next. 
Find those remaining, with date-location-registration info, linked below.   

Director Roundtables 2025

Ready-Set-Game: Designing Accessible Games for
Youth Library Programs.  May 21.  Online @ 1:00PM

Denise Bean, Your Services Librarian for the Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, will present this webinar about creating positive play experiences for blind and low-vision youth in your summer library program. She'll introduce fun, budget-friendly game ideas that can be easily adapted to meet the needs of everyone for all ability levels.

This webinar will include: Key principles of accessible simple game design How to modify classic games to make them accessible Creative, low-prep ideas that work well in group settings or independently Tips for choosing materials and setup considerations Real-life examples from libraries successfully implementing accessible play.

Register in WorkDay Learning