Twinsburgbulletin.com - Page is added to record book

by Andrew Schunk

Editor

Twinsburg -- The Twinsburg Public Library has again been awarded the top spot out of 1,768 libraries nationwide in a national public library survey released in early October.

With a top score of 956, the local library earned the No. 1 spot for cities with populations of between 10,000 and 24,000 on the Hennen's American Public Library Rankings. This marks the fourth time Twinsburg has been ranked first since the report was first published in 1999.

"This was a real coup for us," said Twinsburg Public Library Director Laura Leonard. "We were really excited, but we take everything with a grain of salt. We had a stellar year with circulation ... this is an acknowledgment that we're doing a good job."

The report for 2008 -- which measured 9,353 libraries of all sizes, serving more than 290 million people -- ranked libraries among others with a similar service population based on their 2005 statistics.

According to Leonard, Twinsburg's ranking is based on high customer use and strong local financial support. In 2005 and under the direction of former Director Karen Tschudy, the library had a $2.5 million operating budget. The library has a $2.7 million 2008 operating budget, according to the library treasurer.

HAPLR publisher, recorder and author Thomas J. Hennen Jr. said the rankings generally are based on how various statistics measure in relation to a library's service population.

The point system used is based on expenditures per capita; percentage of a budget used towards materials; circulation per capita; and staffing per capita, Leonard explained.

"It is basically an indication of how well a library uses the resources it is given, selects materials that patrons want and need, attracts users and spends it budget based on library standards," Leonard said. "This ranking reflects well on staff planning, budgeting, and most importantly the library staff's front line interaction with customers."

Leonard added that local and state funding has been crucial to the library's success. Twinsburg voters in August passed a 1-mill continuing operating levy, which beginning in 2009 will bring in nearly $800,000 annually for the library.

In 1999, Twinsburg ranked No. 1 for a service population of between 5,000 and 9,000 people. The local library, which has consistently been in the top 10 for its service population since 1999, ranked No. 1 again in 2004 and 2006, but in the current population category, according to Leonard.

Hennen's report lists six Ohio libraries ranked in the top national spot for their respective population category. They include: Columbus Metropolitan Library (500,000 people); Washington-Centerville Public Library (50,000 people); North Canton Public Library (25,000 people); Columbiana Public Library (5,000 people); Grand Valley Public Library (2,500 people); and Twinsburg.

Ohio, Utah, Oregon, Washington and Indiana all maintained their relative spots as the top five states since 2004, Hennen's report states.

Mississippi, Louisiana, the District of Columbia, Alabama and Tennessee took the bottom five spots in this year's library rankings.

For more information, visit http://haplr-index.com/ratings.htm.

E-mail: aschunk@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3170