In 2019, MHLS conducted a Lab Project focused on increasing attendance at public programs. The libraries participating in this project worked to increase attendance at adult programs, but you may decide to focus on a different demographic or on another category of programs (digital literacy, early literacy, cultural, etc.).
Participating libraries began the project with a review of their service population’s demographics to get a better understanding of the audience for their programs. They considered how they defined a successful program and they thought about why we offer programs, quantity vs. quality, how best to get the word out to relevant audiences, and evaluation of programs.
While using attendance as one metric to measure success, they recognized that small programs can also meet community and patron needs and can be very successful. In the end, it isn’t attendance that matters but impact or outcomes. Large or small, the strategies employed in this project can help any program succeed.
Participating Libraries
- Grinnell (Wappingers Falls)
- Kinderhook Memorial Library
- Mahopac Public Library
- Mountain Top Library
- Olive Free Library
- Red Hook Public Library
- Town of Esopus Library
Goals:
The measurable goal for participating libraries was to increase adult program attendance by 5%. Adult program attendance for a specific month of the current year was compared to adult program attendance for the same month in the previous year. You should feel free to set you own goal. The underlying goal was to design and evaluate programs that created opportunities and addressed needs in their communities so that more people would benefit from the programs offered by their library.
Essential Factors/Tactics:
- Create a programming mission statement
- Create talking points for staff
- Reach out to non-user groups to do programs and solicit feedback/input
In the process, libraries also worked to create a better experience for patrons through friendlier spaces, more patron-centric policies and procedures, and better customer service.
Background Reading
Library Usage
- Karen Pundsack, “Public Library Usage Shows Ten-Year Increase,” Public Libraries Online, June 10, 2016
- Cathleen Keyser, “Meet Them in the Moment: Engaging Public Library Patrons When It Matters Most,” Weave: Journal of Library User Experience, 1:4 (2016)
- Brigit Katz, “Americans Went to the Library More Often Than the Movies in 2019,” Smithsonian Magazine, Jan. 30, 2020
Program Attendance
Data Collection
Population Demographics
American Community Survey Population Data
Search Tips:
- You can search by town/city, zip code, or CDP (Census Designated Place–often a village or hamlet)
- In Search box, begin typing name of city, town, or village and look for it to appear in the suggested choices that appear below
- Choose (or type) the choice that includes the county name (e.g., Copake town, Columbia County, New York), or the CDP (Copake Falls, CDP, New York)
- Search will take you to a summary page (if you chose the town name without the county, or the zip code, you will instead go to a list of tables)
- If instead of getting a summary page you get a page listing tables, click on the blue Explore Data box on the right
- You can get more detailed information by clicking on the Table number listed with each category
Program Statistics
Do NOT feel obligated to track all this information. On the other hand, you may want to track additional information, such as attendance vs. day of the week or time of day, or monthly statistics.
Action Plans
- Sample Template
- Grinnell Library
- Kinderhook Library
- Mahopac Library
- Mountain Top Library
- Olive Library
- Red Hook Library
- Town of Esopus Library