Freckle reports are analyses of the data and performance of public libraries in the US, the UK and Australia
This edition contains the reports from both 2020 and 2021
The reports describe the decline in use of public libraries and propose actions that can be used to remedy that situation. The 2020 report highlighted a number of specific areas for work, and the 2021 report develops those and adds some new observation made during the time of the pandemic lockdowns
Crosby Kemper, director IMLS:
These reports raise the larger challenge of the question of what libraries are about. Are we still about books and reading or are we drifting off into community services of varying degrees of importance to the community. There is a challenge to the focus of library leadership and the strategies for the future.
They also raise the question of the pre-pandemic decline in visitor-ship and circulation. There is the shift within circulation to eBooks and audio books and streaming services.
Do any of our statistics capture the questions pertinent to the digital divide? Is the decline in computer sessions related to increasing community connectivity and what does that connectivity mean regarding digital literacy?
And perhaps the most important question raised in the two reports is ‘does the decline in children’s circulation have an impact on the educational divide and basic literacy?’
Part of the Freckle challenge is whether or not we are even collecting and highlighting the most important strategic information. What information do we need? Would detailed budget information, population diversity, SES information better inform decision making? How do we measure impact beyond basic outputs? Is there a utilitarian answer? Is there an aspirational answer? Are they compatible?
With decline in basic outputs are libraries in decline or changing the way they impact communities?
