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HAPLR 2009: Tenth Anniversary Edition

Thomas J. Hennen Jr.

June 2009

Summary

We celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings (HAPLR) this year. In 10 years HAPLR has become widely recognized in the public library world with both praise and criticism, of course. As is to be expected, the rating system has critics as well as fans. We are proud of HAPLR and what it has done for libraries in the nation. We look forward to many more years of ranking, assessing, and providing report cards for libraries in the U.S. I will continue to refine HAPLR based on the advice of both fans and critics.

In this article I begin by making some overall observations about the past 10 years in bulleted points. I note the introduction of the LJ Index and compare it to HAPLR. I consider issues for rating systems such as electronic use measures that can be included in ratings. I also note the problems with population assignments as well as library spending categories and their impact on HAPLR and the LJ Index. I provide an overview at the national level over to consider where libraries have changed overall. I discuss the book Hennen’s Public Library Planner and its relationship to a HAPLR-inspired method of strategic library planning. Finally, I provide some of the major criticisms and praises that have been leveled at HAPLR ratings over the past 10 years.

I must add that it has taken me 10 years to realize the level of courage that American Libraries Editor Leonard Kniffel demonstrated when he published HAPLR ratings for the first time in 1999. Kniffel publishes for American Libraries, the official publication of the American Library Association. Upon publication and repeatedly over the years, he and American Libraries were criticized because publication appeared to imply endorsement of the ratings even though he repeatedly noted that this was not the case.

HAPLR scores are compared to their LJ Index counterparts here.

Directory for the rest of this page:

Observations About past 10 years	National Comparisons over 10 Years	States with Top Ten Libraries in each Edition	Top 10 Libraries in Each Category for 2009	Hennen’s Public Library Planner	HAPLR Reports	Criticism
LJ Index	Electronic Use	Population Issues	Spending Categories	HAPLR Index	Praise

National Observations about the past 10 Years

Over the past ten years:

Critics of the HAPLR system had a lot to say. So did fans.
Hundreds of newspapers, radio stations, and television stations have covered HAPLR ratings for libraries throughout the country.
Thousands of libraries have purchased HAPLR reports on their libraries, reports that compare a library to comparably sized libraries in the state and nation.
Many thousands of libraries have used the HAPLR website to make quick comparisons on library data.

Also over the past ten years:

A total of 39 states had at least one top ten library.
A quarter of all top 10 libraries were in Ohio;
Another quarter were in New York, Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota

Considering the overall data for libraries over the past 10 years:

Almost 23,000 more library staff were employed in libraries (almost a 20% change)
Total spending per capita rose $11 to $38 per capita, while materials spending per capita rose 33% to $4.32 per capita
Circulation per capita rose 14% while visits rose 22%

Comparison Data for Past Editions

The table below compares the HAPLR rating data for the 1999 edition to that of the 2008 and 2009 editions.

Data	1999 Edition	2008 Edition	2009 Edition	From 2008 Edition	10 Year Average
Number of Libraries	8,752	9,076	9,080	0.0%	0.4%
Population served	259,463,453	285,579,896	291,302,705	2.0%	1.2%
Staff (Full time equivalent)	117,741	136,014	140,438	3.3%	1.9%
Collection Expenditure	$840,956,250	$1,142,839,506	$1,259,636,602	10.2%	5.0%
Total Expenditure	$5,551,991,409	$8,632,693,011	$9,578,451,862	11.0%	7.3%
Book Volumes	709,424,788	803,013,857	805,008,471	0.2%	1.3%
Periodical Subscriptions	1,854,165	1,820,422	1,832,775	0.7%	-0.1%
Hours Open	33,098,377	35,915,538	36,181,122	0.7%	0.9%
Visits	1,012,614,319	1,320,647,162	1,381,561,074	4.6%	3.6%
Reference	284,416,840	303,914,504	294,442,201	-3.1%	0.4%
Circulation	1,641,514,552	2,008,090,565	2,098,751,934	4.5%	2.8%
Expenditure per capita	$21.40	$30.23	$32.88	8.8%	5.4%
Percent Budget to materials	15.1%	13.2%	13.2%	-0.7%	-1.3%
Materials Expenditure Per capita	$3.24	$4.00	$4.32	8.1%	3.3%
FTE staff per 1000 population	0.45	0.48	0.48	1.2%	0.6%
Periodicals per 1000 population	7.15	6.37	6.29	-1.3%	-1.2%
Book Volumes per Capita	2.73	2.81	2.76	-1.7%	0.1%
Operating Expenditure per circulation	$3.38	$4.30	$4.56	6.2%	3.5%
Visits per capita	3.90	4.62	4.74	2.6%	2.2%
Book Collection turnover	2.31	2.50	2.61	4.3%	1.3%
Circulation per FTE Staff Hour	6.70	7.10	7.18	1.2%	0.7%
Circulation per Capita	6.33	7.03	7.20	2.5%	1.4%
Reference per capita	1.10	1.06	1.01	-5.0%	-0.8%
Circulation per hour	49.60	55.91	58.01	3.7%	1.7%
Visits per hour	30.59	36.77	38.18	3.8%	2.5%
Circulation per visit	1.62	1.52	1.52	-0.1%	-0.6%

States with Top Ten Libraries in each Edition

Ten states and the District of Columbia have never had a library in the top ten. They are: AR, HI, KY, LA, MS, ND, NM, NV, OK, WY.

The remaining 39 states had libraries in the Top Ten as follows:

State	1999	2000	2001	2002	2004	2005	2006	2008	2009	Total
AK	1			2				1	1	5
AL			1		1	1	1	1		5
AZ	1		1	1	1					4
CA	3	4	3	2	1	3	3	2	2	23
CO	2	1	2	2	3	5	5	5	2	27
CT		1	1	2	2	3	1	2	2	14
DE		1		1						2
FL		1	1			1				3
GA		1								1
IA	6	5	4	5	4	4	4	4	2	38
ID				1						1
IL	6	8	7	7	5	6	6	7	4	56
IN	10	9	7	10	9	7	5	5	6	68
KS	2	4	5	3	4	4	4	4	4	34
MA	4	4	5	6	2	5	3	2	4	35
MD	2	1	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	23
ME			1	1	1			1		4
MI						1		3	4	8
MN	6	8	6	7	6	4	3	4	3	47
MO	2	3	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	13
MT									1	1
NC		1								1
NE		1	1		2	2	2	2	6	16
NH		2	2	1	1	1	1	1		9
NJ		1	1		1	2	1			6
NY	8	14	10	9	14	12	8	5	5	85
OH	25	12	18	20	25	21	33	31	34	219
OR	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	18
PA	1	2	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	13
SC	1	1	1	1	1	1				6
SD	1	1	1	1				1	1	6
TN						1	2	1		4
TX	2	1	4	2	1	2	2	1	1	16
UT	1		2	2	3	3	3	3	3	20
VA	6	4	3	3	2		2	2	2	24
VT	1	2		1					1	5
WA			1		1			1	1	4
WI	6	4	2	2	2	3	2	3	3	27
WV	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	9
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	900

Top 10 Libraries in Each Population Category for 2009 Edition

This table lists the libraries in the Top 10 for the 2009 edition. Note that the scores and ranks are within each population category.

Popul. Category	Library	State	HAPLR Score	HAPLR RANK
a) 500 K	CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	893	1
a) 500 K	COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY	OH	871	2
a) 500 K	MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY	OR	839	3
a) 500 K	SALT LAKE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM	UT	818	4
a) 500 K	HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY	MN	803	5
a) 500 K	INDIANAPOLIS-MARION COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	IN	794	6
a) 500 K	BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	MD	794	7
a) 500 K	DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY	CO	790	8
a) 500 K	KING COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM	WA	781	9
a) 500 K	CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY, PL OF	OH	753	10
b) 250 K	DOUGLAS COUNTY LIBRARIES	CO	893	1
b) 250 K	HOWARD COUNTY LIBRARY	MD	888	2
b) 250 K	SANTA CLARA COUNTY LIBRARY	CA	873	3
b) 250 K	SAINT CHARLES CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT	MO	855	4
b) 250 K	MADISON PUBLIC LIBRARY	WI	801	5
b) 250 K	CENTRAL RAPPAHANNOCK REGIONAL LIBRARY	VA	793	6
b) 250 K	JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARY	KS	780	7
b) 250 K	AKRON-SUMMIT CNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	775	8
b) 250 K	ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	IN	770	9
b) 250 K	LINCOLN CITY LIBRARIES	NE	769	10
c) 100 K	NAPERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY	IL	918	1
c) 100 K	ANN ARBOR DISTRICT LIBRARY	MI	912	2
c) 100 K	SANTA CLARA CITY LIBRARY	CA	902	3
c) 100 K	MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	IN	895	4
c) 100 K	MEDINA COUNTY DISTRICT LIBRARY	OH	879	5
c) 100 K	SALT LAKE CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY	UT	874	6
c) 100 K	ST JOSEPH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	IN	870	7
c) 100 K	LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	VA	855	8
c) 100 K	SCHAUMBURG TWP DISTRICT LIBRARY	IL	853	9
c) 100 K	GREENE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	850	10
d) 50 K	WASHINGTON-CENTERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	935	1
d) 50 K	WORTHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	915	2
d) 50 K	EUCLID PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	911	3
d) 50 K	CARMEL CLAY PUBLIC LIBRARY	IN	898	4
d) 50 K	LAKEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	896	5
d) 50 K	NEWTON FREE LIBRARY	MA	896	6
d) 50 K	WILLOUGHBY-EASTLAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	895	7
d) 50 K	CANTON PUBLIC LIBRARY	MI	881	8
d) 50 K	GEAUGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	879	9
d) 50 K	TROY PUBLIC LIBRARY	MI	876	10
Popul. Category	Library	State	HAPLR Score	HAPLR RANK
e) 25 K	PORTER PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	938	1
e) 25 K	NORTH CANTON PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	937	2
e) 25 K	ELLA M. EVERHARD PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	914	3
e) 25 K	UPPER ARLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	913	4
e) 25 K	PLYMOUTH DISTRICT LIBRARY	MI	903	5
e) 25 K	ELMHURST PUBLIC LIBRARY	IL	897	6
e) 25 K	ST. CHARLES PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT	IL	890	7
e) 25 K	LAKE OSWEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY	OR	884	8
e) 25 K	MIDDLETON PUBLIC LIBRARY	WI	881	9
e) 25 K	SHAKER HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	876	10
f) 10 K	TWINSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	959	1
f) 10 K	HAYS PUBLIC LIBRARY	KS	939	2
f) 10 K	WICKLIFFE PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	938	3
f) 10 K	ORRVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	914	4
f) 10 K	PETERS TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY	PA	911	5
f) 10 K	MADISON PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	910	6
f) 10 K	DARIEN LIBRARY	CT	900	7
f) 10 K	AVON LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	898	8
f) 10 K	HENRY CARTER HULL LIBRARY	CT	895	9
f) 10 K	WAY PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	893	10
g) 5 K	COLUMBIANA PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	953	1
g) 5 K	BRISTOL PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	947	2
g) 5 K	BRIDGEPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY	WV	928	3
g) 5 K	GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	915	4
g) 5 K	CRESTLINE PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	910	5
g) 5 K	WRIGHT MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	905	6
g) 5 K	DOVER TOWN LIBRARY	MA	904	7
g) 5 K	NEW CARLISLE PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	899	8
g) 5 K	NEW CUMBERLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY	PA	894	9
g) 5 K	KINSMAN FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	882	10
h) 2.5 K	JAMES KENNEDY PUBLIC LIBRARY	IA	920	1
h) 2.5 K	GRAND VALLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY	OH	916	2
h) 2.5 K	MT. PLEASANT PUBLIC LIBRARY	UT	915	3
h) 2.5 K	CENTRAL CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY	NE	907	4
h) 2.5 K	BELL MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY	IN	906	5
h) 2.5 K	FAIRFAX COMMUNITY	VT