Community Analysis Guide

The term Community Analysis refers to the process of collecting information about the library and its community. Information gathered about the community should include local demographics and a majority of additional components outlined in sections 2 and 3 below. Although a community survey is not required, if a survey is conducted, it should be designed and tested after the community data has been gathered and analyzed. The results of the survey must be included with applications for accreditation. There must also be a narrative description of identified needs of the community and the library based on the data gathered during the community analysis.

1. Information collected in a community analysis is used to:

• Identify factors in the library's environment that may affect the provision of services
• Reveal community needs for library services
• Demonstrate to community decision makers the library's understanding of its services and its community
• Suggest possible library goals and objectives

2. Information gathered about the community includes, but is not limited to:

• Age, sex, ethnic, and educational characteristics
• Birth, death, and unemployment rates

• Mix of business, agricultural, industrial, and service sectors
• Economic cycles
• Institutions, clubs, societies, religious groups, traditions, and history
• Agencies, libraries, schools, newspapers, magazines, bookstores, radio and television stations
  
  

3. Information gathered about the library includes, but is not limited to:

The Building

• Age
• Condition
• Traffic patterns
• Signage
• Appearance
• Location
• Accessibility
• Parking
• Space needs

The Collection

• Breadth and depth of holdings
• Available formats
• Use patterns
• Condition
• Customer  requests

Staff

• Educational levels
• Salary and benefit comparisons with other libraries or departments
• Length of service and job satisfaction
• Workload
• Opportunities for training or continuing education
  
  

Management

• Efficiency and effectiveness of departments
• Administrative procedures
• Communication and networking

Budget allocation

• Adequacy
• Comparison with other libraries
• Analysis of allocating by service or budget category

4. Sources  for the above information and/or methods of collecting the data include the following:

• Census materials, State Data Center
• Iowa enrollment history and projections from the Iowa Department of Education
• NCES School Demographics System
• Local reports/surveys by other agencies
• Surveys
• Focus groups
• Community Analysis narrative from Public Library Management classes

• Consulting Librarians Group, "Community Analysis Methods and Evaluative Options: The CAMEO Handbook."