The Newmarket Public Library posted statistics are a puzzling lot.
On one hand, the NPL board boasts 23,664 library card holders in October 2014. We know that library cards must be renewed annually. There is no cost of renewing a library card but you must provide ID to show your residency to complete the renewal.
But how is that number reached when the number of "New" and "Renewed" library cards are as follows?
Jan 972
Feb 860
March 1146
April 916
May 911
June 871
July 1514
Aug 1009
Sept 1076
Oct 932
Total 10,201
So how exactly do we get from 10,000 (New and Renewed library cards) as of the end of October to 24,000 library card holders at the end of the same period?
Statistics posted for the public are only useful when they can be understood. Perhaps there is an explanation behind the stats published by the Newmarket Public Library Board. Yet on the published document, no explanation is provided.
An organization that is committed to public learning must be held accountable for providing information that is accessible and easily understood.
I can't figure out this discrepancy between the number of library card holders versus the number of new and renewed library cards. Intuitively, the numbers should be similar (the number of card holders will be higher because it will include the numbers of new and renewed cards from November and December 2013).
Maybe there is an explanation and if so, the Library should be providing it.
Is it possible that the discrepancy in the NPL numbers includes lapsed cardholder accounts? For example, my two adult children hold library cards but have moved away and not renewed for several years. I wonder how many years must elapse before a member is purged from the system?
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