Six-Year Circulation History:
Circulation Trend:
Circulation has declined 12.6% over the six-year period although the population in the service area has increased slightly in the same period. The Library's use is hurt somewhat by it's limited hours. The service area population understates the potential usership since the Lake Milton/Craig Beach area has the largest number of seasonal residents in Mahoning County.
Year Built: 1990
Year(s) of Additions: None
Year(s) of Major Remodeling: None
Year(s) and Nature of Refurbishing Projects: None
Total Size: 1,512 sq. ft.
Space Currently in Use: 1,512 sq. ft.
Reason(s) Total Space Not in Use: All space is in use
SF per capita (using service population): .40 sq. ft. per capita
Physical Condition Rating:
(5 point scale - 1 = Very Poor, 2 = Poor, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent)
Overall Condition: 4
Structural Integrity: 4
Roof: 4
HVAC: 4
Electrical: 3
Plumbing: 4
Fenestration: 4
ADA Accessibility Issues: 4
Other (specify): Size is and issue. Book capacity is very small. 2
Site/Location Rating:
(5 point scale - 1 = Very Poor, 2 = Poor, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent)
Overall Site/Location Rating: 3 (location in Lake Milton is good; however,
being situated in a narrow strip between the lake and the County border limits the number of visitors from beyond the immediate Lake Milton/Craig Beach area.)
Convenience: 3
Visibility: 4
Curb Appeal: 4
Parking: 4
Size of Site/Expansion Potential: 5
Proximity (to shopping, services, etc.): 4
Distances to Nearest Branches/Main:
North Jackson 8.0 miles
Canfield 14.5 miles
Austintown 14.8 miles
Main 19.1 miles
Current Hours of Operation: http://www.libraryvisit.org/locations.htm
Estimated Annual Operational Cost (2003):
$ 43,920
Estimated Staffing Costs (2003):
$ 23,087
Professional/Clerical Bi-Weekly Pay Percentage (2003):
0.0% Professional, 100.0% Clerical
Current Collection Size:
9,387
Cost per Circulation:
$ 3.69
Circulation per Sq. Ft.:
7.88
Circulation per Hour Open:
11.35
Visits per Capita:
2.19
Visits per Hour Open:
5.98
Reference Transactions per Hour Open:
No reference service is provided.
Turnover Rate:
1.27
Lake Milton summary:
The Lake Milton/Craig Beach community is served by a small, yet attractive, 1,512 square foot facility built in 1990. The facility is not owned by PLYMC. The year-round population in the area served by the Library is approximately 3,800 although the area sees some seasonal increases in population due to the presence of second homes and vacation properties. The population in the area has increased slightly over the past decade.
While usage of the Lake Milton Library is poor, alternatives for library service for residents in this portion of Mahoning County are somewhat limited. The closest full service public library is seven miles away in Trumbull County (Newton Falls Public Library). The nearest PLYMC branch is the North Jackson Library, which is even smaller than the Lake Milton branch. The Canfield and Austintown Libraries are both approximately fifteen miles distant.
Recommended Action for Lake Milton, adopted by Library Trustees on March 18, 2004:
An argument can easily be made for closing the facility given the low number of visits per hour open and the low number of circulations per hour. However, given the dearth of practical alternatives for providing library service to the residents of the northwestern portion of the County, retention of the facility is suggested at this time.
Because it is likely that usage would increase with a facility that was somewhat larger, was open additional hours, and had a broader array of resources, efforts to increase these should be undertaken. PLYMC should work with the local community to along two paths. First, an effort should be made, with other library interests in the northwest portion of the county, to determine if a facility of more suitable size and services necessary to stimulate stronger use can be developed. Failing this, an effort to secure adequate local and/or private funding to expand the current Lake Milton facility to approximately 2,300 square feet (thereby achieving the .6 square feet per capita recommended for neighborhood/community libraries) should be undertaken. PLYMC should expand hours of operation and improved resources for a period of three to five years during which time population trends and library usage would be monitored.
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