Info from Barb Huntington, DPI Consultant

Change in Reporting Program Information on the Annual Report

The Institute of Museums and Library Services, which administers federal LSTA funding and collects annual statistics from all states, will begin collecting information on library programs targeted to Young Adults, beginning in 2010. The Wisconsin Public Library Annual Report previously has collected data on the annual total for adult and children's programs and program attendance. Wisconsin will begin to collect data for young adult programs and attendance as well.
DPI will include this new data element in the 2009 annual report (to be completed by libraries early next year), but the information will be voluntary that first year, recognizing that libraries have not previously been required to submit the information. Children's programs will now be defined as programs targeted at children up to age 11, and young adult programs are those targeted at ages 12-18 years of age.

This change means that libraries should count both the programs they offer for children and those offered for teens. As in the past, the audience count is everyone who attends, regardless of age. Libraries will decide for themselves if the programs they offer were targeted at children or teens, but a single program may be counted only in one category, and attendance should be attributed correspondingly. Programs for all ages or for families are typically counted as children's programs, but it all depends on the library's intended audience for the program. The 2009 Annual Report will request total attendance at children and teen programs for 2009 (as well as a total for all programs and attendance, which would include adult programs) and will require those figures in 2010.

Please note that the Division is not requiring libraries to offer young adult programs; however, if the library does offer programs targeted to young adults, those programs should be tracked and reported distinct from children's or "other" programs. These changes at the national level are in response to the growing awareness that teens benefit from specific services and that more libraries are offering services and programs designed for that audience.

From System Youth Services Liason Posting 5/18/2009