FY2016 PLS SDC Advance letter

December 2016

Dear State Data Coordinator:
I am writing to request your participation in the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) for fiscal year (FY) 2016,
conducted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services with support from the American Institutes for
Research (AIR) as our data collection agent.
Your participation in this annual census of approximately 9,300 public libraries in the 50 states, the
District of Columbia, and the outlying areas is both important and voluntary. Your response to this survey
will contribute to a national file of public library data that will be available to the library research
community, state and federal policy makers, and other interested users.
States have been placed into one of three reporting groups (see table below) based on their fiscal cycles or
extraordinary reporting hardship, in order to stagger data submissions and thus enable timelier processing
and release of the data file and survey report.
Reporting group and fiscal cycle
Group #1
(July–June)
Group #2
(October–September,
January–December)
Group #3*
(January–December)
*Extraordinary reporting hardship

States and U.S. territories
AK, AZ, CA, CT, DE, GA, HI, IA, KY, MA, MD,
MO, MT, NC, NM, NV, OK, OR, RI, SC, TN, VA,
WV, WY
AL, AR, CO, DC, FL, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, ME, MI,
MN, MS, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SD, UT,
VT, WA, WI, American Samoa, Guam, Northern
Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

Survey due date

TX

August 18, 2017

April 7, 2017

July 28, 2017

The FY 2016 PLS has a firm due date of April 7, 2017 for group #1 states, July 28, 2017 for group #2
states, and August 18, 2017 for group #3 states. No state data submission will be accepted after the due
date specified for the state. If you cannot submit data for all of your public libraries by the due date,
please submit the data you do have available instead of not submitting data at all.
Please report for ALL libraries that qualify under the FSCS Public Library Definition to avoid undercoverage, including those with data nonresponse.
The FY 2016 data collection will be conducted over the Internet via a web-based reporting system called
PLS Web Portal. The scheduled web release is December 13, 2016. If you need any assistance in the use
of PLS Web Portal, please call the PLS Help Desk at 1-866-744-5746 or email at [email protected].

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This email contains the following materials for completion of the survey:
1. FY 2016 PLS Web Portal User's Guide. This guide contains important information for using
the web-based survey application including an overview of its key components, detailed
instructions on processing your data, data element definitions, and other useful information.
The user’s guide is also available on the PLS Web Portal on the Home Page under Helpful
Documents and under the Help menu. To access the PLS Web Portal click on the following:
www.plswebportal.org.
2. Attachment A. Important Links and Information. This document contains information
about your PLS username and password, the web address for the PLS Web Portal online data
collection, survey due dates, and PLS Help Desk information.
3. Attachment B. Data Submission Requirements. This document lists the data submission
requirements.
4. Attachment C. Important Points in Reporting Your Data. This document discusses valid
data entry, FY 2016 survey changes, and other important information. Please review it before
completing the survey.
5. Attachment D. Francis Keppel Award Criteria. This document lists the criteria for this
award. States that accumulate at least 16 out of the 20 maximum points will receive the award.
IMLS will release the FY 2016 data files and report, including on the IMLS website (www.imls.gov).
Visualizations tools, historical reports, and prior year data files may also be available on this website.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no person should be asked to respond to a collection
of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control
number for this information collection is xxxx-xxxx, which expires xx/xx/20xx. The time required to
complete this information collection is estimated to average 104.98 hours per response, including the time
to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the
information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or
suggestions for improving this collection of information, please send them to [email protected].
If you have any questions regarding this data collection, please contact the PLS Help Desk at
[email protected] or 1-866-744-5746 between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm Eastern time. We look forward to
receiving your FY 2016 data submission. I thank you for your cooperation in this important effort.
Sincerely,

Kathryn K. Matthew
Director
Institute of Museum and Library Services

Attachments

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Attachment A
Accessing the Survey


Login information
o PLS Web Portal Username: Your email address
o PLS Web Portal Password: If you logged into the PLS Web Portal for the FY 2015 data
collection you can login using that password. If you forgot your password please click
“Forgot Password” on the login screen and follow the on screen instructions. If you are a new
SDC, an email from [email protected] will provide a link to create your password on December
13, 2016.



PLS Help Desk contact information
o Email: [email protected]
o Phone: 1-866-744-5746
o Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm ET (Monday – Friday)



PLS Web Portal: http://www.plswebportal.org/

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Attachment B
Data Submission Requirements
Please note the following important requirements
1. Critical edits must be resolved. Noncritical edits must be reviewed and annotated.
2. Edit annotations must be imported into PLS Web Portal. Annotations can be imported as an
.xls, .xlsx, or .CSV file. The can be imported either through the annotated data file or the
annotated edit report.
3. After completion of the above steps and when your data are considered edited and final, you
must lock your data. This signifies the official submission of your state data.
4. When you lock your data, IMLS requests that you enter the number of hours it took to prepare
your data for entry into PLS Web Portal and to review and annotate the edit report. IMLS is
required to provide the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with statistics regarding
your total paperwork burden.
5. After your data is locked it is ready for review and certification by the Chief Officer. The Chief
Officer will be notified via email when your data is locked and ready for review for the
certification procedure.

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Attachment C
Important Points when Reporting Your Data
Valid data entry. The PLS Web Portal software uses a -2 to indicate a blank data field that needs your
response. The user must replace all -2s with a valid entry (i.e., -1, -3, 0, a positive number, or
alphanumeric data, as appropriate) before locking the data. Estimates can be used if exact data are not
available.
Inaccurate reporting of -1 versus 0 adversely affects data quality, prevents reliable imputations, and
results in inaccurate state totals/national totals/trend data. It is very important to remind local respondents
of the correct reporting of -1 versus 0 (defined in the table below) as part of every data collection.
The following responses are valid in the PLS Web Portal:
Numeric Data Elements
Any positive number for
numeric data elements

Enter the appropriate numeric data.
Zero means, “We have none of this item” for numeric data (e.g., the library does not
0
maintain a video collection).
“-1” means “We don’t know the answer, don’t collect the data, or can’t get the data
-1
right now.”
“-3” means “Not Applicable” and is used for this item only: Square Footage of Outlet
-3
(use only for Bookmobiles and Books-by-Mail Only outlets)
Alphanumeric Data Elements
Alphabetic and/or numeric Enter the appropriate alphabetic and/or numeric data. Some items require the selection
data for alphanumeric data of codes for data (e.g., Interlibrary Relationship Code = HQ, ME, or NO). See
elements
Appendix A of the user guide.
“-3” means “Not Applicable” and is used for these items only: Phone (use only if
-3
library has no phone)
Structure, Name, and Address Changes
“-3” means “Not Applicable” and is used for these items only: LINKID, OLDID, and
-3
PARENTID

Historical tracking. PLS Web Portal tracks historical (inter-year) changes in the identity and structure of
administrative entities and outlets. Historical tracking is performed on (a) name changes, (b) address
changes, and (c) structural changes (e.g., library closings, the addition of new libraries, and library
mergers).
Total Unduplicated Population of Legal Service Areas (data element 103 on the State
Characteristics screen) and Population of the Legal Service Area (data element 208 on the
Administrative Entity “Population/Outlets/Staff” screen). These data are critical for per capita
calculations and presentation of data by population ranges in the survey report. Please be certain to:
 Report Population of Legal Service Area for all administrative entities.
 Verify that the Total Unduplicated Population of Legal Service Areas does NOT exceed the total
Population of the Legal Service Area for all active administrative entities. (Edit check #10323
will assist you.)
‘State Summary: Two-Year Comparison Table for “State”’ table. This table is on worksheet ‘T1’ in
the Excel workbook that you can generate with the PLS Web Portal “Reports” drop-down menu option
‘View Tables’. Please review this table prior to submitting your data. Large 2-year changes may indicate
significant errors still remaining on your file.

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PLS Data Element Changes
This section outlines the changes to any data definitions for FY 2016 data collection.
 There have been new data elements added the FY 2016 data collection.
 There have been changes to data elements for the FY 2016 data collection.
 There have been changes to data element numbers for the FY 2016 data collection to
accommodate new data elements.
See appendix A in the PLS Web Portal User’s Guide for specific information.

New Data Elements
553 Physical Item Circulation
The total annual circulation of all physical library materials of all types, including renewals.
Note: Count all physical materials in all formats that are charged out for use outside the library.
Interlibrary loan transactions included are only items borrowed for users. Do not include items checked
out to another library.
554 Successful Retrieval of Electronic Information
The number of full-content units or descriptive records examined, downloaded, or otherwise supplied to
user, from online library resources that require user authentication but do not have a circulation period.
Examining documents is defined as having the full text of a digital document or electronic resource
downloaded or fully displayed. Some electronic services do not require downloading as simply viewing
documents is normally sufficient for user needs.
Include use both inside and outside the library. Do not include use of the OPAC or website. [based on
NISO Standard Z39.7 (2013) #7.7, p. 43]
555 Electronic Content Use (Total of 552 and 554)
The total annual count of the use of electronic materials and the successful retrieval of electronic
information (Data elements #552 and #554).
556 Total Collection Use (Total of 553, 552, and 554)
The total annual count of physical item circulation, use of electronic materials, and successful retrieval of
electronic information (Data elements #552, #553, and #554).

Changed Data Elements
LIBRARY COLLECTION
This section of the survey (450-460) collects data on selected types of materials.
It does not cover all materials (i.e., microforms, loose sheet music, maps, and pictures) for which
expenditures are reported under Print Materials Expenditures, Electronic Materials Expenditures, and
Other Material Expenditures (data elements #353, #354, and #355). Under this category report only items
the library has acquired as part of the collection and catalogued, whether purchased, lease, licensed, or
donated as gifts that have been purchased, leased or licensed by the library, a consortium, the state library,
a donor or other person or entity. Included items must only be accessible with a valid library card or at a
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physical library location; inclusion in the catalog is not required. Do not include items freely available
without monetary exchange. Do not include items that are permanently retained by the patron; count only
items that have a set circulation period where it is available for their use. Count electronic materials at the
administrative entity level; do not duplicate numbers at each branch.
450 Print Materials
Report a single figure that includes the following:
Books in print. Books are non-serial printed publications (including music scores or other bound forms of
printed music, and maps) that are bound in hard or soft covers, or in loose-leaf format. Do not include
unbound sheet music. Include non-serial government documents. Report the number of physical units,
including duplicates. For smaller libraries, if volume data are not available, count the number of titles.
Books packaged together as a unit (e.g., a 2-volume set) and checked out as a unit are counted as one
physical unit.
552 Use of Electronic Material (change to existing measure)
Electronic Materials are materials that are distributed digitally online and can be accessed via a computer,
the Internet, or a portable device such as an e-book reader. Types of electronic materials include e-books
and downloadable electronic video and audio files. Electronic materials packaged together as a unit and
checked out as a unit are counted as one use. Include circulation only for items that require a user
authentication, and have a limited period of use.
550 Total Circulation of Materials (Total of 553 and 552)
This is the sum of Use of Electronic Material and Physical Item Circulation (data elements #552 and
#553).

Changed Data Element Numbers
575 Interlibrary Loans Provided To (formerly data element 553)
576 Interlibrary Loans Receive From (formerly data element 554)

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Attachment D
Francis Keppel Award Criteria
Minimum points required for award = 16

Maximum points required for award = 20

A data submission includes a locked data file and an annotated Edit Report. IMLS makes the final
decision on who receives the Keppel Award.
Keppel Award Point Criteria – Group 1
Points
Submission Points
Data Submission on or before March 10
Data Submission received March 11 through March 17
Data Submission received March 18 through March 24
Data Submission received after March 24
Final Deadline is April 7
Edit Follow-up Points
Responded to Edit Follow-up within two weeks
Responded to Edit Follow-up within three weeks
Did not responded to Edit Follow-up
Item Non Response
A data item that has been collected over 3 years is missing for an entire state
Keppel Award Point Criteria – Group 2

10
8
6
Disqualified

10
8
Disqualified
Disqualified
Points

Submission Points
Data Submission on or before June 30
Data Submission received July 1 through July 7
Data Submission received July 8 through July 14
Data Submission received after July 14
Final Deadline is July 28
Edit Follow-up Points
Responded to Edit Follow-up within two weeks
Responded to Edit Follow-up within three weeks
Did not responded to Edit Follow-up
Item Non Response
A data item that has been collected over 3 years is missing for an entire state
Keppel Award Point Criteria – Group 3

10
8
6
Disqualified

10
8
Disqualified
Disqualified
Points

Submission Points
Data Submission on or before August 4
Data Submission received August 5 through August 11
Data Submission received after August 11
Final Deadline is August 18
Edit Follow-up Points
Responded to Edit Follow-up within two weeks
Responded to Edit Follow-up within three weeks
Did not responded to Edit Follow-up
Item Non Response
A data item that has been collected over 3 years is missing for an entire state

D-1

10
6
Disqualified

10
8
Disqualified
Disqualified