The statistics are a tool for Wyoming libraries, but Lesley Boughton, state librarian, cautioned that they do not necessarily tell the entire story. I would like to see more validity in the way we use statistics. Some services are difficult to track accurately. Library hours are easily counted, but patron visits may be more difficult. Not every library uses the same reporting techniques.
Reference questions pose another problem.
One complex inquiry may require as much time to answer as 10 simple questions. Each library system is unique to the communities it serves, and the numbers can reflect that. For example, Boughton said, a library that doesn't borrow many materials through interlibrary loan may be serving its customers by maintaining a good collection and using Internet resources effectively. The Internet is changing the way we provide information. Library directors and staff put in a number of hours to gather information for this report.