How Massachusetts Ranks FY2004, September 2006 (v.9,n.5)
Massachusetts was in the top half for most of the state rankings included in Public Libraries in the United States FY2004 by the National Center for Education Statistics.
- Massachusetts public libraries maintain a high level of resources for their residents:
4th in the number of print materials per capita.
15th in the number of current serial subscriptions per 1,000 population. - Massachusetts residents benefit from the high level of library professionals:
10th in the number of paid FTE librarians per 25,000 population.
7th in the number of paid FTE librarians with ALA-accredited MLS degrees per 25,000 population. - Funding still does not quite match the resource and staffing ranks:
19th for total income per capita.
13th for local income per capita. - Audio and video resources lag:
14th in the number of video materials per 1,000 population.
19th in the number of audio materials per 1,000 population. - Circulation up's and down's:
4th in the number of interlibrary loans received per 1,000 population.
20th in the number of direct circulation transactions per capita. - Internet Terminals:
21st in the number of public-use Internet terminals per 5,000 population.
- Reference transactions:
29th in the number of reference transactions per capita.
- Visits:
14th in the number library visits per capita.
Selected Rankings for Massachusetts, FY2004
| statistic | MA value (2003 rank) |
MA rank* (2003 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 | 542.03 (399.13) |
4 (4) |
Wisconsin 380 |
818.43 | Hawaii 1 |
0.25 |
| circulation per capita | 7.72 (7.68) |
20 (20) |
Ohio 250 |
14.84 | District of Columbia 1 |
1.92 |
| print materials per capita | 4.91 (4.83) |
4 (4) |
South Dakota 125 |
5.48 | Nevada 22 |
1.67 |
| audio materials per 1,000 population | 163.06 (151.82) |
19 (21) |
Ohio 250 |
300.88 | Georgia 58 |
58.88 |
| video materials per 1,000 population | 167.70 (148.63) |
14 (15) |
Ohio 250 |
310.49 | District of Columbia 1 |
38.92 |
| current print serial subscriptions per 1,000 population | 9.30 (13.32) |
15 (4) |
Vermont 189 |
13.27 | Alabama 208 |
3.07 |
| public-use Internet terminals per 5,000 population | 3.32 (3.15) |
21 (20) |
South Dakota 125 |
6.82 | California 179 |
1.89 |
| paid FTE librarians per 25,000 population | 6.48 (6.71) |
10 (9) |
New Hampshire 231 |
8.18 | North Carolina 75 |
1.93 |
| paid FTE ALA-MLS librarians per 25,000 population | 4.21 (4.30) |
7 (6) |
District of Columbia 1 |
6.07 | Arkansas 48 |
0.93 |
| total operating income per capita | $33.18 ($35.52) |
19 (16) |
Ohio 250 |
$56.77 | Mississippi 49 |
$13.76 |
| local operating income per capita | $29.12 ($30.00) |
13 (14) |
District of Columbia 1 |
$49.28 | West Virginia 97 (Hawaii reported zero local income) |
$9.42 |
| reference transactions per capita | 0.89 (0.86) |
29 (29) |
District of Columbia 1 |
2.04 | Alaska 88 |
0.48 |
| library visits per capita | 5.75 (5.57) |
14 (15) |
Ohio 250 |
7.16 | Mississippi 49 |
2.76 |
* Massachusetts has 370 independent main libraries.
Source: Chute, A., Kroe, E., O'Shea, P., Craig, T., Freeman, M., Hardesty, L., McLaughlin, J.F., and Ramsey, C.J. (2005). Public Libraries in the United States: Fiscal Year 2004 (NCES 2005-356). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.