From the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services released the data for the FY 2014 Public Libraries Survey. Accompanying FY 2014 data are new online visualizations and tools to make the data easier to explore and use.
Since 1988, the annual Public Libraries Survey has provided a national census of public libraries in the United States. The data are collected from approximately 9,000 public library systems comprised of over 17,000 individual main libraries, library branches, and bookmobiles in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and outlying territories.
The Public Libraries Survey added a new data element in FY 2014: the number of Wi-Fi sessions provided by libraries annually. As more states report on this element in coming years, a more accurate picture of annual Wi-Fi use in libraries will emerge. Other data collected by the survey include information about library visits; circulation; size of collections; staff; operating revenues and expenditures; and number of service outlets.
Each of Wyoming’s 23 counties has a public library system serving all county residents. In FY16, there were 23 main libraries, 52 branch libraries and 2 bookmobiles. These libraries report their statistics annually to the Wyoming State Library, which submits it to the IMLS Public Library Survey. Find Wyoming library statistics at will.state.wy.us/statistics. Questions may be directed to Thomas Ivie, WSL research and statistics librarian, at thomas.ivie@wyo.gov or (307) 777-6330.