How Massachusetts Ranks, July 2003 (v.6, n.5)
Massachusetts was in the top half for most of the ranked statistics in the latest release from the National Center for Education Statistics.*
- Massachusetts public libraries continue to maintain a high level of resources for their residents:
3rd in the number of book and serial volumes per capita (same as FY2000).
4th in the number of current serial subscriptions per 1,000 population (down from 3rd in FY2000). - Massachusetts residents benefit from the high level of library professionals:
6th in the number of paid FTE librarians per 25,000 population (down from 5th in FY2000).
6th in the number of paid FTE librarians with ALA-accredited MLS degrees per 25,000 population (same as FY2000). - Funding still does not quite match the resource and staffing ranks:
13th for total income per capita (up from 14th in FY2000).
13th for local income per capita (same as FY2000). - Audio and video resources lag:
13th in the number of video materials per 1,000 population (up from 14th in FY2000).
22nd in the number of audio materials per 1,000 population (down from 21st in FY2000). - Circulation up's and down's:
4th in the number of interlibrary loans received per 1,000 population (same as FY2000).
20th in the number of direct circulation transactions per capita (same as FY2000). - Reference transactions:
25th in the number of reference transactions per capita (down from 24th in FY2000).
- Visits:
14th in the number library visits per capita (we finally had enough libraries reporting data, 70%, to be included in the rankings).
Selected Rankings for Massachusetts, FY2001
| statistic | MA value ('00 value) |
MA rank ** | highest ranking state and number of main libraries | value | lowest ranking state and number of main libraries | value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILL's received per 1,000 | 259.05 (228.25) |
4 | Rhode Island 48 |
544.51 | Hawaii 1 |
.44 |
| direct circulation per capita | 7.22 (7.36) |
20 | Ohio 250 |
13.79 | Mississippi 49 |
3.19 |
| book and serial volumes per capita | 4.80 (4.90) |
3 | Maine 271 |
5.00 | Arizona 39 |
1.71 |
| audio materials per 1,000 | 135.10 (128.85) |
22 | Ohio 250 |
301.02 | Arkansas 43 |
43.66 |
| video materials per 1,000 | 116.92 (103.87) |
13 | Ohio 250 |
239.25 | Arkansas 43 |
39.36 |
| current serial subscriptions per 1,000 | 13.76 (14.06) |
4 | Vermont 190 |
14.30 | Tennessee 183 |
3.56 |
| paid FTE librarians per 25,000 | 7.10 (6.69) |
6 | New Hampshire 228 |
8.39 | North Carolina 76 |
2.00 |
| paid FTE MLS librarians per 25,000 | 4.35 (4.37) |
6 | Connecticut 194 |
5.25 | Arkansas 43 |
0.84 |
| total income per capita | $34.74 ($33.30) |
13 | Ohio 250 |
$60.11 | Mississippi 49 |
$13.42 |
| local income per capita | $28.13 ($27.22) |
13 | New York 750 |
$39.75 | West Virginia 97 (Hawaii reported zero local income) |
$8.52 |
| reference transactions per capita | 0.87 (0.87) |
25 | New York 750 |
1.79 | Mississippi 49 |
0.47 |
| library visits per capita | 5.24 (0.00) |
14 | Colorado 113 |
6.36 | Arkansas 43 |
2.77 |
* Source: Public Library State Ranking Tables, FY2001, NCES.
** Massachusetts has 370 independent main libraries.