New Survey Will Provide Vital Data About Library Facility Needs
Your library may soon receive an invitation to complete a questionnaire about its facility conditions and needs. If you receive the survey, please respond!
About the Survey
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is conducting a survey on the physical conditions and facility needs of public libraries in the United States. GAO is sending the survey to a nationwide sample of public library outlets that were randomly selected. GAO is an independent federal agency that works for Congress. The information from this survey will help inform Congress about the physical conditions of public libraries nationally. The purpose of the study is to make national estimates of libraries’ physical conditions and facility needs, accessibility, costs and funding for maintenance and repair, and the effects of natural disasters and extreme weather. It is not an audit of any individual library.
Why Is This Survey Important?
Physical facilities, such as libraries’ buildings and grounds, are crucial to enabling libraries to serve their users. However, there is little existing data about the condition of library facilities nationwide and whether current facilities are meeting community needs. The GAO study will address an important gap by providing national information about those topics. In 2023, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee directed GAO to undertake this study. ALA advocated for the study and looks forward to the study’s final report, which is expected in late 2025.
Will I Receive the Survey?
To provide representative data, GAO is sending the survey to a random sample of public library outlets nationwide. Your library might not receive the survey. If your library does receive a survey invitation from GAO, ALA, and PLA strongly encourage you to respond. Your participation is essential to ensure that this study represents libraries across the country. Please note that the survey questions relate to an individual outlet. We know that responding to surveys can be time-consuming. Thank you for taking the time to participate! National reports like this study help ALA and PLA to advocate for libraries.
This Sounds Familiar… Are Any Other Studies Like This Taking Place Now?
The 2024 PLA Staff Survey is open now to all public libraries and also includes questions related to accessibility of public library facilities (and services). Libraries that complete this year’s PLA survey will be entered into a drawing to win group registration for a PLA webinar! The survey closes December 14. Additionally, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is in the midst of a research project about library facilities. Similarly to GAO’s project, Congress also requested IMLS to undertake its research, for which ALA also advocated.
While these projects may touch on some related topics, each will provide valuable data that can inform library practitioners, advocates, and policymakers. We expect that these different research projects will complement each other and offer a fuller understanding about these important issues. The research projects currently underway will build on other recent research about library facilities. For instance, in 2021, ALA released a data brief providing a rough estate of public libraries’ construction and renovation needs nationwide. In addition, PLA’s 2022 Public Library Services for Strong Communities Survey collected data about the age of public library facilities, recent or planned additions and renovations, program or event spaces, mobile programming facilities, and green or energy-saving initiatives. ALA and PLA staff have worked with federal agency staff to share all existing data and survey questions to minimize overlap wherever possible.
What If I Have Questions About the GAO Survey?
If your library receives an invitation to the survey, it will include contact information for the GAO researchers. If you have any questions or concerns about the survey or the study in general, you can email the GAO research team at Library_MuseumSurvey@gao.gov.
Will I Be Able to Read the Results of the GAO Survey?
The study’s final report is expected in late 2025. When published, the final report will be freely available on GAO’s website. Survey respondents can also request to receive a copy of the final report when it is released.
How Can I Learn More About ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Efforts?
For more updates from ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy office, subscribe to ALA advocacy alerts. You can also follow @LibraryPolicy on Bluesky.
Tags: alapublicpolicyandadvocacy, GAO, libraryfacilities, PLA, USGovernmentAccountabilityOfficeLibraryFacilitySurvey
