After the jump, see the table containing selected information extracted from three years’ worth of Illinois Public Library Annual Reports (IPLARs) filed by the DeKalb Public Library with the Illinois State Library. Included: information on revenues, expenditures, programs, attendance, resources/holdings and other numbers and answers I found interesting for one reason or another. Not included: library identification data, personnel position details, library trustee information and items deemed redundant or ho-hum.

Also:

–If a FY column item is left blank, it means the question was not asked that year.

–Answers that might vary from one day or month to another, for example the number of registered borrowers, are generally required to reflect the count on the last day of the fiscal year.

–Copies of the source material are yours for the asking. Send e-mail requests to yinn@citybarbs.com. Read the rest of this entry

After the jump are the last three fiscal years’ worth of DeKalb Public Library’s annual reports.

DKPL is obligated to provide a report to the City of DeKalb within a month of the end of each fiscal year, although according to an official with the Illinois State Library it is not actually statutorily obligated to have the report received and filed by the City.

The same official was able to confirm for me that DKPL has indeed filed a copy of its latest report with ISL, which reassures me somewhat that it was not manufactured last week in response to my FOIA request.

What would be even better is if the City of DeKalb would change its policy to receive and file the reports. This would provide some evidence of Council oversight with less bother for Clerk and city staff when it comes to retrieval. Read the rest of this entry