Underfunded Libraries, Underwhelming Resource

'Reeno Cohen posted a link on the PLA Blog to an epodunk map of underfunded libraries in the US.  I was hoping to find a Very Useful Tool when I clicked through, but all I found was a map with no functionality, based on data from a 2002 study.  The map, which, sadly, looks like a country with a bad case of chicken pox, was based on data from the US Dept of Education Library Statistics program from a 2002 survey of public libraries (.pdf).   There are a few problems:

• The survey is based on voluntary survey responses from libraries. 
• The funding situation for many library communities has gotten worse since 2002.
• I can't find any way to attach data from the data set to the chicken pox map.
• I don't know nothin' bout readin no data sets.
• I don't understand what epodunk is about or what they're aiming for.  Their key players have great qualifications, but I can't tell, even after reading their "about" page, what they provide in the way of unique content. (My community is listed on epodunk, but my library is not to be found.)

So, I ask you, Raccoon Readers, to help me figure this out if, indeed, I am missing something.

UPDATE:  I've made some headway with epodunk.com and the Library Statistics Program website.

I couldn't find anything on our library on epodunk because they had it listed as the Golden Prairie Public Library, which is nonexistent.  Golden Prairie is a library district that we provide service to.  I had to go down a few layers in epodunk.com to find a link to my misnamed library. When I clicked on it, it did take me to the Library Statistics Program data page where I learned that we are not one of the red dots on the underfunded map.

So, it appears that you can find information on your public library on this search page to see if you're one of the pockmarks on the epodunk map.  They characterize an underfunded library as one that spends less than $15 per person per year (and point out that the average family spends $52/mo on cable).

Sometime in the next few days, I'll be doing a critical review of epodunk.com, though, since there's some good and some not so good stuff on it. And it does appear that they are library fans.   

Comments

[Mish]

Yeah! The webmaster wouln't have upadted his site.

[Laurie Bennett]

The makers of the "pockmarked map" feel a need to defend ourselves. Like many libraries, we're also underfunded, overworked, and always working to improve.

We've recently added clickable, more coherent mapping. (Check out our Katrina diaspora map, at http://www.epodunk.com/top10/diaspora/index.html.)

At the time we published the library survey, the 2002 data was the most recent nationwide dataset available from NCES. I'm not sure how the author reached "Golden Prairie Public Library" on our site, as it is not included in our database. I suspect that this was through a link to NCES.

As to "what we're aiming for," it's helpful, free information about communities and community resources in the U.S. and Canada. ePodunk publishes demographics, links to government and many other local sites, and information about not only libraries, but museums, colleges, school districts and other places.

We welcome input (and constructive criticism) from users.