Performance Details
Department of Education and Early Development - Alaska State Library, Archives & Museums
Mission
To provide access to government information; to collect, organize, preserve, and make available materials that document the history of the state; and to promote the development of libraries, archives and museums statewide.
Core Services
- Provide access to the Alaska State Libraries, Archives and Museums programs and services.
- Promote educational opportunities for the development of Libraries, Archives and Museums statewide.
- Continue to collect and manage the care of objects and documents that represent the people and history of Alaska.
 Mission Results |
Core Services | |||
|
| |||
| Mission Results |
Core Services | |||
|
| |||
| Mission Results |
Core Services | |||
|
|
Performance Detail
| A: Result - Increase usage of Alaska State Libraries, Archives and Museums services and programs. |
| A1: Core Service - Provide access to the Alaska State Libraries, Archives and Museums programs and services. |
Target #1: Provide reference services at the Libraries, Archives and Museums.
Number of Reference Questions Answered
Analysis of results and challenges: Each section of the Division answers reference questions in its own way, but all provide an important resource for the public and researchers. The public primarily asks quick reference questions at the Library, while state employees ask the Library more technical or statutory questions pertinent to their job duties. Researchers or curators ask fewer, but more complex or technical questions at the Archives and Museums. Museum visitors have many questions about the objects in the exhibits. The Library Development unit answers reference questions from library staff statewide, just as Archives and Museum staff answer questions from local archives and museum staff. These questions primarily cover operational or training topics with these institutions. Questions arrive in person or by email, text, phone, fax, and mail. The Division experienced an overall 13.7% increase in the number of reference questions in FY2020. Division facilities were closed to the public from March 17 through June 22, 2020. This three-month closure negatively impacted the number of Museum reference questions due to the loss of visitor queries. The Library responded to many more reference questions, which were easily accommodated, since reference service by phone and email has been standard procedure for librarians for more than two decades. The Archives received more in-depth research questions involving many more staff hours. In addition, staff at libraries, archives, and museums statewide had many questions about COVID-19 health pandemic closures that they directed to the consultants who work in the development units of the State Library, State Archives, and State Museum. Overall, since FY2008, reference within the Division has increased by 263%. Related links:
|
Target #2: Increase the number of patrons served and items circulated at the Talking Book Center.
Circulations Per Patron at Talking Book Center
Analysis of results and challenges: The Talking Book Center (TBC) is a partnership between the Library of Congress' National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) and the Alaska State Library. Serving the entire state, the TBC is responsible for library services for patrons who are visually impaired or physically handicapped to such an extent that they cannot read standard print materials. Circulation includes digital audiobooks and large print books mailed to patrons statewide, as well as patron-initiated downloads of books, music and magazines through the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service. The TBC contracts with the Utah State Library to provide services for Alaskan users. This results in cost savings for Alaska, while providing a broader array of services to the patrons, since Utah is a much larger talking book service. The downside is that shipping is not quite as fast, so Alaska patrons tend to request more books to cover longer shipping times. Staff at the Alaska State Library process applications manage the contract with Utah and provide marketing and general assistance. The COVID-19 health pandemic had little impact on the TBC. First, the Utah State Library did not close to the public during spring 2020. Second, since TBC services have always been offered remotely, staff at the Utah State Library simply continued with reference, reader's advisory, and circulation services as usual. Alaska State Library staff continued to review new applications and coordinate with the Utah State Library, despite working from home from March through June 2020. These numbers indicate that the patrons who are being served by the Utah State Library are receiving excellent service since they are each borrowing nearly as many items per person as the previous year. Overall, since 2008, circulation per patron has increased 63.1%. From 2016 to 2018, the national total number of people receiving talking book services from the 50 libraries across the nation that provide such service decreased by 20%. Over the same two years in Alaska, the total number of patrons served declined by 18%. The majority of patrons using this service are older, so a significant number of patrons are lost annually due to morbidity. During FY2019, the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled has developed a four-part strategy to address this decline in the number of patrons receiving service. During FY2020, the TBC began developing a marketing plan to increase the number of Alaskans using these services. However, as staff workloads increased heavily due to COVID-19 health pandemic demands, the marketing plan was not completed or implemented. Staff were able to increase direct outreach to organizations and individuals that work with the same population, including the National Federation of the Blind of Alaska, support groups, and special education teachers and administrators. Since these groups tend to reach younger people with visual disabilities, the hope was that these efforts would bring more long-term users into the patron population for the TBC. Related links:
|
Target #3: Increase the number of annual visitors to the Alaska State Museums.
Number of Visitors to Alaska State Museums
Analysis of results and challenges: The State Museums experienced a 31% decrease in the number of admissions during FY2020. This was due to the three-month closure of both museums from March 17 through June 22, 2020 for COVID-19 health pandemic mitigation and low tourist numbers in the final quarter of the fiscal year. The decline might have been projected at 25%, since both facilities were closed for 25% of the year, however, the slightly larger decrease of 31% can be attributed to the seasonal surge in daily museum admissions from May through June during the summer tourist season. The Alaska State Museums sponsored a number of academic and educational public programming events and services, in addition to the daily museum visitor admission. These academic and youth art activity programs are geared primarily at K-12 students and drive a lot of the visitor numbers during the winter season. These numbers dropped in FY2020 due to the COVID-19 health pandemic. The COVID-19 health pandemic also stopped and reversed the upward trajectory of museum admissions occurring since FY2017 and the opening of Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff building in Juneau. There is concern that the summer 2021 tourism season will experience anemic growth over the 2020 season. It may take three years or more for admission numbers to increase to FY2019 levels. The visitor count has decreased 16.3% since FY2008. Related links:
|
Target #4: Increase the number of Alaskana objects available online.
Alaskana Available Online
Analysis of results and challenges: Alaska-related materials on the Division website have steadily increased. The Guides to Alaska Collections describe the contents of a variety of collections held by the Division. The Alaska State Publications Program provides free, permanent public access to the materials produced by state agencies, regardless of format. Born-digital state documents are preserved on a library server. Often the State Library provides access to more agency periodical material than is available at the issuing agency website. Reference staff refer patrons to digital surrogates in the Alaska Digital Archives, rather than to the original item, thus preserving endangered, fragile materials. Online museum exhibits, added in 2014, showcase contemporary Alaskan artwork and explore in-depth cultural or historical themes. The number of on-line museum exhibits dropped to a low of 39 in FY2020 due to the removal of content with accessibility concerns in some exhibits that were decades old. The number of exhibits available online is rebounding. Museum staff have placed a premium on making new online exhibits available to the public during the pandemic. From FY2008 to FY2020, a total of 22,121 more Alaskana items have been made accessible online, an average of 1,843 items each year. From FY2008 to FY2020, Alaskana items available online increased by 251%. Related links:
|
Target #5: Provide for public programming throughout Division facilities.
Attendance at Programs Held or Initiated at Division Facilities
Analysis of results and challenges: From the Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff (APK) Building in Juneau, the Division coordinates and hosts many in-person and broadcast educational events such as conferences, lectures, trainings, workshops, school group programs, and literary readings that meet the educational mission of the Division. Government agencies, private, and non-profit organizations also use Division facilities for meetings, conferences, kaizens, and receptions. From FY2019 to FY2020, attendance at events declined 19.3%, another decrease that can be attributed to the 3-month COVID-19 health pandemic closure. Over the nine months the building was open, a monthly average of 1,155 people attended events at APK, up from a monthly average of 1,073 people during FY2019. It is clear that the APK had become a popular meeting place in Juneau and has been hosting a growing number of virtual meetings with statewide impact. It may take a few years for these numbers to climb back to FY2019 and early FY2020 levels. Related links:
|
Target #7: Increase usage of digital collections through downloads from Division web pages .
Number of Document Downloads from Division Pages
Analysis of results and challenges: This measure quantifies the shift the Division is experiencing from serving solely as a brick and mortar location housing physical materials to also serving as a repository of virtual Alaskana materials for Alaskans and people everywhere. Materials posted on Division web pages are accessible 24/7 without staff assistance and accessible to all Alaskans and all people with access to the World Wide Web. Document downloads are comparable to counts of physical items checked out. This is another measure that shows how the Division is meeting the goal of providing services to all Alaskans. This measure shows the total number of items downloaded from Division web pages, an average of 833 items each month during FY2020. The Alaska State Library is a leader and major funder in statewide cooperative efforts to provide virtual library resources to all Alaskans. For example, the State Library is a member of the statewide Alaska Digital Library, through which people can download ebooks and audiobooks. During FY2020, people with a library card issued by the State Library downloaded 808 adult and juvenile ebooks and 508 adult and juvenile audiobooks. SLED, the Statewide Library Electronic Doorway, established in 1996, is a prime example of this ongoing effort. Some resources on SLED provide statistics down to the library-level. The State Library is responsible for two other ebook resources found on SLED. During FY2020, a total of 2,844 ebooks were downloaded from Sesame Street and 59,214 ebooks were downloaded from Tumblebooks. The Division of Innovation and Education Excellence funds Sesame Street and Tumblebooks, while State Library staff coordinates the contracts and posting of these ebook resources on SLED. Usage of Tumblebooks surged due to COVID-19 health pandemic , increasing from 41,136 in FY2019 to 59,214 in FY2020, a surge of 43.9%. |
| B: Result - Increase capacity, skills and professional development for staff and management of Libraries, Archives and Museums. |
| B1: Core Service - Promote educational opportunities for the development of Libraries, Archives and Museums statewide. |
Target #1: Provide professional development and training events for Libraries, Archives and Museums staff statewide.
Number of Participants in Professional Development and Training Events
Analysis of results and challenges: From the Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff (APK) Building in Juneau, the Division coordinates and hosts many in-person and broadcast educational events such as conferences, lectures, trainings, workshops, school group programs, and literary readings that meet the educational mission of the Division. Government agencies, private, and non-profit organizations also use Division facilities for meetings, conferences, kaizens, and receptions. From FY2019 to FY2020, attendance at events declined 19.3%, another decrease that can be attributed to the 3-month COVID-19 health pandemic closure. Over the nine months the building was open, a monthly average of 1,155 people attended events at APK, up from a monthly average of 1,073 people during FY2019. It is clear that the APK had become a popular meeting place in Juneau and has been hosting a growing number of virtual meetings with statewide impact. It may take a few years for these numbers to climb back to FY2019 and early FY2020 levels. Related links:
|
| C: Result - Ensure state historical acquisitions and documents are preserved. |
| C1: Core Service - Continue to collect and manage the care of objects and documents that represent the people and history of Alaska. |
Target #1: Ensure state historical documents are preserved and available to the public.
Libraries, Archives and Museums Holdings
Analysis of results and challenges: This data set shows that the Division is providing ever-increasing access to Alaska materials. The State Library shares circulating and online materials, the Archives and Historical Library's materials are used in-house, and the Museum's collections are available for exhibition and research. Annual library acquisitions are relatively steady. Archives containers is the total holdings of the Archives, which includes cubic foot storage containers, recorders volumes, and microfilm reels. Museums objects increase slowly because acquisitions are often by donation and because of the high cost to purchase artifacts. Since FY2008, an average of 2,970 items are added to the Division's holdings annually. From FY2008 to FY2020, the holdings increased by 29.8%. The big increase in FY2015 in Archives Containers is due to the 3,000 boxes of records that were received from the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA). NARA closed its Alaska facility and affirmed that these records (primarily from the Alaska Courts and Alaska Railroad) should most appropriately stay in Alaska and were transferred to the State Archives. Related links:
|
Current as of December 3, 2020