APPENDIX C

FSCS PUBLIC LIBRARY UNIVERSE FILE ISSUES

According to the Federal-State Cooperative System (FSCS) Universe File, there are 8,921 library systems in the United States. Together, the FSCS state data coordinators and FSCS steering committees determine what constitutes a library system, and these definitions are included in the annual public library reports published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). There are numerous definitions of a "library system" contained within the Universe File. The two that most pertain to this study are (NCES, 1997):

• Administrative entity with a single direct service outlet (essentially a single branch library system). An administrative entity that serves the public directly with one central library, books-by-mail only, or one bookmobile (p. 103).


• Administrative entity with multiple direct service outlets where administrative offices are not separate (essentially a multiple branch library system). An administrative entity that serves the public directly with two or more service outlets, including some combination of central librar(ies), branch(es), book-mobile(s), and/or books-by-mail only (p. 103).

There is some difficulty in determining the exact number of library systems by the Metropolitan Status codes (CC for Central City; NC for Metropolitan Area, but not within central city limits; and NO for Not in a Metropolitan Area), however . The primary reason for this difficulty is that there is some discrepancy in the interpretation of the Universe File's definition of a library system and, subsequently, a library system's central entity (administrative unit).

As shown in Figure 21 (p. 30), a vast majority of library systems have no branches--indeed only about 16.3% of public library systems do have branches. In general, many library systems operate on a one outlet-one library system basis, particularly for library systems that serve population of legal service areas of under 25,000. For the rest, however, there are some difficulties in determining a central entity. For example:

• Not all library systems designate a central entity (administrative unit). In such cases, a library system may have numerous outlets (branches) of which none are considered a central entity.


• Some library systems designate multiple central entities (administrative units). In such cases, each system branch is in essence counted as an administrative unit.


• Not all library systems have buildings. Indeed, some of the library systems contained within the Universe File are simply bookmobiles.

Consider the following examples contained within the Universe File:

• 14 library systems have more than one central entity. That is, they appear in the Universe File multiple times with a Central Entity designation.


• Over 100 library systems do not appear to have central entities, but are designated as such. An example is that one library system only has 2 bookmobiles.

These library systems are counted in the overall number of library systems (8,921), but do not appear in any of the outlet files that have the central entity/metropolitan status codes. As such, there is no corresponding metropolitan status code for these libraries.

Because of the current status of the Universe File, therefore, it is not possible for the researchers to determine the exact number of public library systems by metropolitan status codes. Indeed, as shown in Figure 21 (p. 30), the metropolitan status code is unknown for 297 library systems.