Why is This Important?

Public libraries provide all members of a community-regardless of socioeconomic status-with access to information and a safe place to read, research, work, and learn. For some members of a community, public libraries are the only places they can access computers or the internet. Libraries' reference tools and staff can be equally helpful to both students in their studies and to job seekers looking for new or different work or training.

What is a Sustainable State?

A sustainable state is one where all members of a community have access to public libraries and where public support for those libraries continues to strengthen over time.

How Are We Doing?

• Public funding for operations is one measure of a community's support for libraries. Operating and capital expenditures for publicly-funded libraries are reported annually by the California State Library by government fiscal year. In 2007-08, annual operating expenditures for all public libraries in San Mateo County totaled $61.13 per capita. In inflation-adjusted dollars, operating expenditures per capita have increased 19 percent since 1998-99.

• By comparison, annual operating expenditures per capita for Santa Clara County was $51.20 in 2007-08 and the statewide average was $32.96 per capita.
• Reported capital expenditures-or expenses related to improving library facilities-totaled $8.2 million in 2007-08. Over 88 percent of these expenditures were related to the construction of the new Redwood Shores Branch Library, which was completed in September 2008.
• Total circulation-a measure of the use of libraries by the community-has increased significantly over the past ten years. In 2007-08, just over nine million materials were circulated by San Mateo County libraries (about 12.2 materials circulated per capita), a 79 percent increase in total circulation since 1998-99. Of note, research suggests that much of the increased circulation in libraries over the past decade has been driven by the ease of online renewals. At the same time, average circulation per capita in Santa Clara County was 17.8 and average statewide circulation per capita was 5.78.

• Use of county libraries increased signifi cantly over the last five years. Countywide, visits per capita stood at 6.3 in 2002-03; in 2007-08 they had increased 27 percent to 8.0.
• The number of hours that libraries are open is an important indicator of their accessibility. Total hours open for all libraries in the county has increased about 6 percent since 1998-99.