Ohio’s Public Libraries Recognized Nationally for Service and Use
We did it again!
Dec. 16, 2021 — Ohio received national recognition this week for public library service and use. According to the 2021 Library Journal Index of Public Library Service (LJ Index), 26 of Ohio’s public libraries earned a star rating. The LJ Index annually measures libraries across the country and rates them on a three, four, or five-star scale based on physical circulation, circulation of electronic materials, library visits, program attendance, public internet computer use, and Wi-Fi sessions. The LJ Index gives an overall indication of how libraries stack up to their peers across the country.
Nationwide, Ohio is home to 26 Star Libraries, the second-largest number, trailing only New York.
The top five states, ranked by their numbers of Star Libraries, are
- New York, 34
- Ohio, 26
- Nebraska, 16
- Illinois, 15
- Massachusetts, 14
“Achieving this national recognition would not be possible without the commitment and creativity of Ohio library staff and the support of residents across our state,” said Michelle Francis, Executive Director of the Ohio Library Council. “We know our libraries are the best in the nation. This new report confirms that. Being showcased on a national level is a true honor for the Ohio library community.”
The LJ Index rates U.S. public libraries based on per capita service statistics and groups libraries into classifications based on total expenditures. The index is compiled by budget category so that libraries of approximately the same size and budget are compared to each other. They are rated based on data recently released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
