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Library staff detail databases, usage and costs for Surprise Public Library system
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Summary
Nicole, the system tech services librarian, briefed commissioners on the library’s online resources — Ancestry (in‑library access), Data Axle, Libby and Hoopla among others — giving usage metrics (Ancestry 5,790 searches since July 2023; Free music downloads 4,677) and noting several vendor contracts and funding sources.
At the April 9 meeting the Commission received a detailed overview of the Surprise Public Library system’s online databases and the process staff use to select and fund digital services.
Nicole, the system’s tech services librarian, explained libraries evaluate resources for cost, patron benefit and security; some services are free, others are funded through the state/county or the library consortium, and a few require contractual review by IT or legal staff. “Some of them are free — we love that,” Nicole said, adding that paid services require assessment of cost and patron usage.
Staff reviewed specific platforms and usage figures. Ancestry is configured for in‑library, IP‑based access only; staff reported about 5,790 searches since access began in July 2023. The library’s music download service has recorded 4,677 song downloads since July 2023 under a five‑download‑per‑patron‑per‑month limit. The weekly Wowbrary newsletter has generated more than 68,000 page views since 2023 and the presenter said the library pays roughly $8,000 a year for that service. Libby remains the system’s largest digital circulation platform (about 20,000 digital circulations per month across the consortium), and staff described recent expansions of partner libraries that allow visitor access to other institutions’ underutilized items.
The presenter also noted contract decisions underway: Creativebug’s three‑year contract is reaching its end and staff are reviewing whether to renew based on usage; ComicsPlus, Rocket Languages, Data Axle and other platforms were described with their patron benefits. Hoopla usage was summarized: patrons receive 10 borrows per month and Surprise’s cost per circulation averages about $1.95, below a cited industry average of roughly $2.20.
Commissioners asked about adult‑education resources (GED/high‑school equivalency) and the presenter noted state programs have shifted funding in recent years; staff said they will continue promoting platforms that serve test preparation and career help. Staff encouraged continued publicity for underutilized resources and noted the monthly newsletter already highlights one resource each month.
What’s next: staff will continue to monitor usage, evaluate contracts (notably Creativebug) and promote underused databases through outreach and the monthly newsletter.
