Homewood Public Library Earns a National Four Star Rating!

We have earned a FOUR STAR RATING for library service in the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service. This system scrutinizes statistics that describe library service outputs, such as visits, circulation, public Internet computer usage, and program attendance. Read more about the survey here!

Homewood Public Library is one of only five libraries in Alabama to receive such an honor and one of only twelve in the Southeast. This four star rating follows the three star rating that we received in the last Library Journal survey. See Full Results here!

Read The Birmingham News article at al.com.

Thanks go to our hard working director and staff and to Homewood's city officials who continue to support the library even in a diffi­cult economy!! And to our patrons who visit us and use our services!! Thanks!!!

Homewood Public Library Earns Highest Distinction - A Blue Ribbon Award

Gov. Bob Riley presented Homewood Public Library a letter and certificate of recognition for earning a Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence in Library Service. In order to receive this award, a library must meet or exceed more than seventy specifications based on the population of the city or county that established the library. To date, only nine libraries in Alabama have received this award. The award was presented by the Public Library Division of the Alabama Library Association. Read Gov. Riley's letter and Gov. Riley's Certificate of Recognition.

Homewood Public Library Earns National Three Star Rating

Well, maybe it's time to toot our own horn a little. Yes, we are very happy and proud of earning a Three Star Rating in The Library Journal Index of Public Library Service 2009. See the article America's Star Libraries and click Alabama on the map to see all the stars, state by state, then click Alabama again to jump to Homewood Library's listing.

The index rates 7,115 public libraries according to four output measures that indicate public service—circulation per capita, visits per capita, program attendance per capita, and public Internet uses per capita. The top libraries in each category were then assigned five, four, or three stars. A total of 256 libraries in the country received star ratings and only three libraries in Alabama received stars.

  

Yes, we have the greatest staff who work hard, are very intuitive and pro-community, which leads me to say that we could not have done this without our community. We want to thank our Library Board of Trustees, the Friends of the Homewood Public Library, the City of Homewood, and our patrons who support this library. We strive to be what our community wants us to be. We are very fortunate to be listed among the nation's best libraries, indeed, and will strive to be even better!

Homewood Public Library Receives 3 Star Rating in Library Journal

See Homewood Public Library's listing under the $1,000,000-$4,999,999 category. 

Star-rated public libraries
As readers peruse the accompanying tables, they should be aware of the following characteristics of the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service:

•  This is an index of public library service output only and as such is determined equally by four related per capita output indicators: visits, circulation, program attendance, and public Internet computer use.
• Libraries are scored in relation to other peer libraries based on total operating expenditures rather than on community population.
• Scores are calculated using statistical methods that make year-to-year comparisons more accurate than other ranking approaches.
• A library's standing on this index will be meaningful if its leaders thoughtfully examine the four service indicators and note its standing on each among peer libraries. 

The library's community 

The location of a library community or its demographics can have a dramatic impact on its service levels. 

Organization and funding 

Library service output can also be influenced by how a library is organized and/or funded. 

Leadership and management 

Beyond these external factors, service levels can also be affected by how public libraries are run and the philosophy management espouses. 

An output-based index 

Traditionally, many public library decision-makers have focused on circulation alone as the performance indicator. Today, the full range of services includes electronic access, facilities use, and programming. So there is no compelling reason to give greater weight to one type of library use over another. Besides, weighting is an arbitrary process that it is best to avoid. ~from Library Journal's website

Read the entire article America's Star Libraries: The LJ Index of Public Library Service 2009.