Setup

The setup screen allows you to choose which data you would like to use and what library you would like to use as the basis for comparison. You can only use one source of data at a time in Web Connect. 

Database

In the database pull-down box of the Select DataSource section, you can choose the source of data you would like to use. You will probably notice the following databases listed in the pull-down box:

FSCS: FSCS stands for the Federal State Cooperative System. It represents the joint efforts of the State Data Coordinator from all 50 states, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the U.S. Census Bureau to build a national database that includes a common core of data for all public libraries in the U.S.

Some of the important attributes of this database include the ability to examine state and national averages, a rich set of categorical data elements such as legal basis code that can be used to filter on in the peer finder, and its comprehensiveness.

PLA: PLA stands for the Public Library Association. It represents the annual Public Library Data Service’s survey of libraries in the United States and Canada and is also available in printed form from PLA. It is a voluntary survey and usually includes approximately 800 of the largest libraries. The primary benefit of the PLA data is that it is generally the most current of any of the databases and is very popular in the media.

States: Most of the states also make their own annual statistical surveys available via Web Connect.  Each survey is confined to libraries within the state, but generally includes a much larger selection of data elements about the libraries in that state. Data elements from one state survey may not be comparable with similarly named data elements from another and Web Connect does not allow them to be mixed in the survey. In addition, because of the differing fiscal years in each state, different state surveys may represent different time periods. The FSCS and PLA data should be used to compare libraries across states.

The ‘Me Library’ is the library of comparison. When you select a ‘Me Library’, Web Connect will lookup the values for that library when you are choosing libraries by peers to provide a helpful point of reference. However, you don’t have to choose a Me Library, and if you don’t, then you simply won’t get the values to use a reference when selecting peers libraries.

The State pull-down box is there to help you narrow your choice of libraries in the Library pull-down box below it. First choose the state that the library of interest is in and then select that library from the pull-down box.

Tip: You can click in the pull-down box and start typing and Web Connect will jump to first match it finds. Also be aware that sometimes libraries report a different name than they are commonly referred to. If your library does not appear to be listed, think about any other names that the library sometimes goes by and try to find it under one of these alternatives..

Misc Options

The ‘Always show this screen at startup’ option allows you to skip the Setup screen and jump directly to the Select Libraries screen right after you login. If you decide to skip the Setup screen, Web Connect will use the same database and Me Library that you selected the last time you logged in.