Locate & Browse Data

Library Research Service is a phenomenal resource for library data.

• Browse under Data & Tools.
• Choose Public Libraries>>Colorado Public Library Statistics and Profiles.
• Under Public Library Annual Report Data (1987 – present), hit Go to Survey Data button.
• Inspect the Definitions in the data menu bar to determine which fields you want to use.

Hint: Copy and paste definitions into a Word document and highlight each field of interest using a color gradient according to how likely you are to use it now versus in the future.

Select Data

• Hit the Advanced tab in the Refine Results pane.
• Click the + sign next to each data field group header to expand the fields.
• For this tutorial, only select one year at a time.
• Check the boxes next to the data fields you selected from the definitions.
 
• Hint: Avoid having to come back to acquire all the data a second time. Collect fields you might want to use in the future as well.
 
 
• Alternatively, hit the data menu bar Master File option to export all the data for the current year in CSV format.

• Scroll to the bottom and hit Submit.

Export Data

• Hit the data menu bar option with the Export results below in .csv format tooltip.

• Name and save the CSV file in your data directory.
• Select the next year from the Advanced tab in the Refine Results pane and repeat until you have exported all the years of data you want.