Citizen Resources
MD Library Facts and Stats 
- Statistics are available for each Fiscal Year since 1997. They provide a breakdown by county and overall for the state for budget, circulation, staffing and borrowers. The latest information is available for FY 2007.
Making the Case for Libraries in Maryland
Maryland Library Survey - Potomac Incorporated has completed a comprehensive study of attitudes about local public libraries in Maryland for the Southern Maryland Regional Library Association, Inc. (SMRLA) and the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library Development and Services (DLDS). The results are summarized in this report., which includes county specific information.
Advocacy and the Statewide Surveys - PPT
Making the Case for Libraries in the Internet Age
Information Searches That Solve Problems, 12/30/2007 - a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, in partnership with the University of Illinois -Urbana-Champaign, challenges the assumption that libraries are losing relevance in the internet age. People who have faced one of several common government-related problems in the past two years are more likely to consult the internet than other sources, including experts and family members. The survey results challenge the assumption that libraries are losing relevance in the internet age. Libraries drew visits by more than half of Americans (53%) in the past year for all kinds of purposes, not just the problems mentioned in this survey. And it was the young adults in tech-loving Generation Y (age 18-30) who led the pack. Compared to their elders, Gen Y members were the most likely to use libraries for problem-solving information and in general patronage for any purpose."
Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2006-2007 Report , conducted by the American Library Association (ALA) and the Information Use Management and Policy Institute at Florida State University (FSU). The study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ALA, found that more than 73 percent of libraries report they are the only source of free public access to computers and the Internet in their communities. Surveyed libraries said that the top three Internet services most critical to their community are online educational resources and databases for K-12 students (67.7 percent); services for job seekers (44 percent); and computer and Internet skills training (29.8 percent)."
Libraries Prosper with Passion, Purpose and Persuasion - (PPT) from the Maryland Library Trustees and Citizens for Maryland Libraries Annual Conference, November 03, 2007
Mary Lou Dewey Advocacy Grant Awarded
Congratulations to the Friends of the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped for their project to develop an interactive web portal.
Watch for information on the next grant opportunity in January 2011.
Donate to the Mary Lou Dewey Advocacy Grant and Annual Awards funds.
