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In 2025, nearly 1.3 million people visited one of CALS’s 15 locations. CALS tracks attendance daily at each branch, giving us a clear picture of how our libraries are used. We also collect a variety of other measures, including item checkouts, program attendance, meeting room reservations, and meals served to children.

These numbers help tell the story of library use, but their greatest value comes from the trends they reveal over time. By bringing this information together and analyzing it, we can better understand community needs, measure our impact, and support informed decision-making across the library system.

Data helps us improve services and ensure we are providing the resources and support our community needs most. We use data to:

  • Identify the books, materials, programs, and services most valued by patrons.
  • Monitor trends and anticipate future needs for staffing, collections, facilities, and programs.
  • Make informed decisions about allocating resources where they will have the greatest impact.
  • Demonstrate the library’s value to community members, partners, funders, and stakeholders.
  • Support grant applications, funding requests, and millage initiatives.
  • Contribute to state and federal reporting efforts and other library research projects.
  • Benchmark our performance against peer libraries and contribute data that helps the broader library community.

While CALS has long collected and analyzed data, we have not had an effective way to share it publicly. Our new dashboard provides monthly statistics and visualizes trends over time, making this information more accessible and transparent. Click the button below to explore the data.

 Usage Statistics Dashboard

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