Branch Recommendations

Canfield Library
43 W. Main St.
Canfield, OH 44406
(330) 533-5631

Photo:

Service Area:
1990 Census Population of Primary Service Area: 21,113
2000 Census Population of Primary Service Area: 25,467
2003 Population Estimate for Primary Service Area: 26,239
2008 Population Projection for Primary Service Area: 27,411

Six-Year Circulation History:

Circulation Trend:

Circulation declined in 2003 after several years of significant increases. Circulation in 2003 is higher than it had been in 2000; however, that was the low point in the six-year history. The Canfield libraries draws its users from a larger geographic area than any other library in the system with the exception of the Main Library. While population is increasing in this area overall, it is likely that the new Austintown library has drawn users from areas North and East of the Canfield location since the Canfield collection and hours are significantly more limited than the collection and hours at Austintown.

Year Built: 1969

Year(s) of Additions: None, although the parking lot was expanded.

Year(s) of Major Remodeling: None

Year(s) and Nature of Refurbishing Projects: None

Total Size: 5,104 sq. ft.

Space Currently in Use: 5,104 sq. ft.

Reason(s) Total Space Not in Use: All space is in use

SF per capita (using service population): .19 sq. ft. per capita

Physical Condition Rating:
(5 point scale - 1 = Very Poor, 2 = Poor, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent)

Overall Condition: 3
Structural Integrity: 4
Roof: 4
HVAC: 2
Electrical: 2
Plumbing: 3
Fenestration: 1
Ambiance: 2
ADA Accessibility Issues: 3
Other (specify):

Site/Location Rating:
(5 point scale - 1 = Very Poor, 2 = Poor, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent)

Overall Site/Location Rating: 4
Convenience: 4
Visibility: 4
Curb Appeal: 4
Parking: 3
Size of Site/Expansion Potential: 3
Proximity (to shopping, services, etc.): 4

Distances to Nearest Branches/Main:
Boardman 5.4 miles
Austintown 6.2 miles
Greenford 6.5 miles
West 7.9 miles
Poland 8.0 miles
South 8.3 miles
North Jackson 9.3 miles
Main 9.8 miles

Current Hours of Operation: http://www.libraryvisit.org/locations.htm

Estimated Annual Operational Cost (2003):

$ 394,332

Estimated Staffing Costs (2003):

$ 287,453

Professional/Clerical Bi-Weekly Pay Percentage (2003):

56.09% Professional, 43.91% Clerical

Current Collection Size:

48,682

Cost per Circulation:

$ 3.23

Circulation per Sq. Ft.:

23.93 (highest in the PLYMC system)

Circulation per Hour Open:

59.58

Visits per Capita:

2.69

Visits per our Open:

34.49

Reference Transactions per Hour Open:

1.93

Turnover Rate:

2.51

Canfield summary:
The Canfield Library circulates more materials per square foot of space of any library in the PLYMC system. It is severely undersized and is open too few hours to adequately meet the needs of its service population. Canfield's current service population is estimated to be 26,239; however, the population in this section of Mahoning County is increasing. The current number of square feet per capita is .19, far below the .6 square feet per capita recommended for neighborhood/community libraries and approximately one-quarter of the ratio recommended for a regional branch facility. The consultants estimate that a new Canfield facility would serve slightly more than 30,000 people, making it a candidate for a regional branch.

The current facility is very crowded and not surprisingly, has a tired, overused look and feel. The building's electrical system is totally inadequate to support even the limited deployment of computers and other technologies. The carpeting and the building's windows are both in very poor condition. The current structure does not lend itself to expansion and the consultants question whether the current site, even if it was expanded to include an adjacent property owned by the library, would be adequate to support a regional facility given the need for parking and recommended green space. Traffic flow into a new library built on this site would also be problematic given the volume of traffic on Highway 224 and the width of the road.

Recommended Action for Canfield, adopted by Library Trustees on March 18, 2004:
Preliminary planning for a regional branch library to replace the current facility should begin immediately. The new facility should be at least 22,500 square feet. The replacement for the Canfield facility should be closer to 25,000 square feet in size if the site is ultimately located to the south or west, as the effective service area will be somewhat larger and there will be fewer alternate library outlets from which to choose. This would attain the recommended .75 square feet per capita ratio. Finding a suitable location for a new Canfield Library is likely to be difficult and a decision on a site should be approached cautiously. The new Canfield Library has the potential for becoming one of the busiest, if not the busiest branch in the County. Planning should proceed cautiously and with great attention to detail to make sure that this area of the County gets the right library on the right site to effectively serve the population. Some short-term fixes of the current structure are necessary to bridge the gap between the present and the time when a new Canfield Library is opened. New carpeting, replacement windows and some upgrading of the electrical system are recommended. PLYMC should look at some of these upgrades as an investment since the building has some good potential for reuse for another governmental or commercial purpose.