In this clearance submission
(3137-0074), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is
requesting approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for the collection of the Public Libraries Survey (PLS): Fiscal
Year (FY) 2024, FY 2025, and FY 2026. This survey was first
conducted in 1989 by the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) to collect library statistics for all public libraries in
the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories (the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands,
Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands). The Public Libraries Survey has been conducted by the
Institute of Museum and Library Services under the clearance number
3137-0074. Pursuant to P.L. 107-279, the Public Libraries Survey
collects annual descriptive data on the universe of public
libraries in the United States, the District of Columbia, and the
Outlying Areas. Information such as public service hours per year,
circulation of library books, number of librarians, population of
legal service area, expenditures for library collection, programs
for children and young adults, staff salary data, and access to
technology, etc., would be collected. Additional information: The
FY 2020 PLS aims to capture Coronavirus-related practices from the
entire universe of approximately 9,300 public libraries in the
United States, the District of Columbia, and outlying areas.
Compared to the FY 2020 survey, the FY 2021 PLS will include
changes to 35 questions, as follows: • Addition of 16 questions and
modification of six questions about the number of library programs
and attendance at those programs with more granularity by targeted
age group and by format • Addition of three questions about other
physical collection items and circulation to capture availability
and usage of non-traditional library materials (e.g., wireless
hotspots, other technology, household items) • Addition of two
questions and modification of two questions related to the number
of public access computers, the number of public access computer
user sessions, and the number of wireless internet sessions; these
changes will collect indicators of the precision of related
questions • Revision of one question and deletion of five questions
related to library services during the COVID-19 pandemic
The variability of reported
burden may be attributable to several things, such as changes in
SDCs’ methodologies for calculating burden or the lack of
reliability in the responses.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
3137-0074 OMB Attachment B PLS List of Changes_20241009.docx