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Annual Report - What to Track

The work of the annual report begins long before it's time to enter your data. Knowing what to keep track of is the crucial first step. This page gives a list of everything that the report asks for.

Here is a PDF version of this list (2 pages).

Schedule (Weeks & Hours)

  • Weeks open this year.
  • Hours open this year.
  • Bookmobile/Branch hours open.
  • Bookmobile/Branch weeks open.

Staffing (Hours)

  • Staff Hours – Broken down by librarians with an MLS, librarians with a VT Certificate of Public Librarianship, librarians without an MLS or certificate, and all other staff. Weekly average.
  • Funded from Outside – Staffing hours paid for by an outside organization (grant, AmeriCorps, etc…). Weekly average.
  • Volunteer Hours – Weekly average.
  • Number of Staff – How many permanent paid staff are budgeted at the library (end of year).

Facilities

  • Questions can be answered at end of year.

Operating Income (Dollars)

  • Tax Support – Local tax support from each town that provides it.
  • Grants – Totals by state, federal, and other.
  • Non-Resident Fees – What you charge per person/family, and the total fees for the year.
  • Fines – Total late fines collected.
  • All Other Local Income – Gifts, fines, book sales, fund-raising, and such.
  • In-Kind Support – Goods and services provided for no cost from town or other organization (yes/no).

Capital Revenue (Dollars)

  • Revenue – Capital revenue for projects, broken down by federal, state, local, and other.

Operating Expenditures (Dollars)

  • Collections – Collections expenses, broken down by print, electronic, and other.
  • Staff – Staffing expenses, broken down by salary and benefits.
  • Programming – Expenses for programming, broken down by age.
  • Other – All other operating expenses, broken down by building operations, technology, and other expenses.
  • Capital – Funds spent on capital projects.

Holdings (Number of Items)

  • All physical items are now broken down by adult, teen/young-adult, and children.
  • Print Materials – Books, graphic novels, etc.
  • Video Items – DVD, VHS, video Playaways, and such.
  • Downloadable Video – Probably zero (doesn’t include pay-per-use like Hoopla or Kanopy).
  • Audio Items – Audiobooks and music.
  • eBooks & Downloadable Audiobooks – Total downloadable items, including through consortia, though doesn’t include pay-per-use items like Hoopla.
  • Print Serials – Includes magazines and newspapers.
  • Non-Traditional Items – Number of non-tradition items in your collection.
  • Database Licenses – Number of databases you offer besides Vermont Online Library, Learning Express, and Universal Class.

Services (Various)

  • Borrowers – Number broken down by adult and children.
  • Visits – Total visits.
  • Reference Transactions – Annual number of questions.
  • Online Circulation – Checkouts for downloadable items, broken down by age (adult, teen/young-adult, and children) and type (eBook, Audiobook), as well as all other circulation (videos, magazines, comics, music) as a single separate number.
  • Electronic Database Usage - Includes Vermont Online Library and Learning Express, as well as any online databases you subscribe to individually.
  • Physical Items Circulation – Checkouts, broken down by age (adult, teen/young-adult, and children).
  • Non-Traditional Item Circulation.
  • InterLibrary Loans – Broken down by provided and received.
  • Programming
    • Broken down by location (on-site, off-site, virtual) and age (0-5, 6-11, 12-18, 19+, general audience). Also, collaborations with other organizations.
    • Attendance – Broken down by location (on-site, off-site, virtual) and age (0-5, 6-11, 12-18, 19+, general audience). Also, collaborations with other organizations.
  • Recorded Programming
    • Programs – Pre-recorded programs or programs that were originally live.
    • Views – Number based on 1-minute views (Facebook) and unique views (everything else).
  • Self-Directed Activities
    • Activities – Number of different activities. Updating an activity with all new content counts as a new activity.
    • Participation – A very rough estimate of participation.
  • Non-Library Programs – Number of programs not sponsored by the library, but held in library facilities.
  • Outreach Deliveries of Items – Broken down by individuals, childcare providers, and other sites.
  • Public Use Computers – Number for public use.
  • Computer Training – Number of patrons trained. New definition.
  • Computer Use – How often were your public computers used.
  • WiFi – Number of wireless sessions.
  • Website – Number of visits to your library’s website.