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Consultant to visit Flagstaff-area libraries Dec. 11—6 to study 10 years of county funding and metrics
Summary
A consultant studying how county library funds are dispersed will visit Flagstaff City and affiliate libraries on Dec. 11—6 to gather data and meet affiliates; the board heard the consultant is compiling 10 years of funding data and that current metrics may not reflect service at non-public branches such as jail libraries.
The Flagstaff City Library Board was told a consultant conducting a districtwide study will be in Flagstaff on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 to meet with staff and affiliate libraries and gather data to inform recommendations on how county funds are distributed.
The director said the consultant has been building spreadsheets tracking how funds were dispersed over the past 10 years and will produce graphs and charts to show patterns and identify where the current allocation structure may not be working. The study will include visits to affiliate libraries that receive county funding, including branches in Paige, Fredonia, Williams and Sedona, and a group meeting for affiliates to ask questions and provide input.
Board members discussed how common library performance metrics may not apply equally across different library settings. Judy Begay, a board member, said visitation counts can be misleading for libraries in restricted settings, noting, “Visitation is not an important metric if youre in jail.” The board said the consultant will study alternative ways to measure services and outcomes so that funding decisions reflect the different roles and constraints of each affiliate location.
The board was not given a detailed daily agenda for the consultants visit but was asked to tentatively hold the dates; staff said the consultant will share a more detailed list of activities as plans firm up. No policy decisions were made at the meeting; the consultants findings and any subsequent recommendations will return to the board for consideration.
