NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

April 29, 1999

North Dakota Losing Public Libraries; Technology Helps Fill Gap

The number of public libraries in North Dakota dropped by 16 during the first half of the decade, from 95 in 1990 down to 79 in 1995. The greatest decline occurred between 1992 and 1993, when the number of public libraries shrank by 12, according to the most recent Economic Brief released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University.

"The loss of libraries in the state reflects a struggle many of our small towns face—dwindling services to a dwindling population base," said Richard Rathge, data center director. "Technology is offering some solutions to this problem. The Internet, for example, is providing information resources to those in rural areas regardless of population base. Although few books are available for reading on the Internet, newspapers, government documents and a host of other resources can be found. The pace at which the Internet is expanding and the variety of resources that are becoming available through this medium represent good news for rural areas."

In 1995, about 32 percent of North Dakota's public libraries were in population centers of less than 1,000 people, and nearly 64 percent were in centers of less than 2,500 people, Rathge says. More than one-third of public libraries were open to the public an average of less than 20 hours per week—including the service hours of the state's 14 bookmobiles.

North Dakota public libraries reported nearly $6.8 million in total operating income in 1995. Of that amount, 76 percent came from local sources, roughly 7 percent from state funds, less than 0.5 percent from federal sources, and more than 16 percent from other sources such as gifts, donations, service fees and fines.

More than 57 percent of total operating expenses for the state's public libraries during the 1990-1995 period went to pay staff considered full-time-equivalent employees. Nearly 17 percent was earmarked for library collections.

Public libraries in North Dakota with operating expenses of less than $10,000 comprised 43 percent of all public libraries in the state, a proportion larger than any other state in the nation, Rathge says. In the other states, 7.8 percent of public libraries, on average, reported operating expenses of $10,000 or less per year.

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Source: Richard Rathge (701) 231-8621

Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136

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