Dr. Jennifer Arns, Assistant Professor at the USC School of Library and Information Science has been awarded a grant for $155,885 to assess the value of public library services. For the grant titled "Assessing the Economic Value of Public Library Services: A Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis" Dr. Arns will gather, summarize, and integrate recent studies on the economic impact of public libraries in their communities, building a more comprehensive understanding of the capabilities and limitations of these studies. Based on this integration and analysis, the project will create and disseminate models for further public library economic benefits studies, as well as methods for incorporating the findings from this research into library promotional materials.
For more information, contact Dr. Jennifer Arns, Assistant Professor at (803) 777-2319 or jarns@gwm.sc.edu. For a list of other grants awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, visit http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/061708_list.shtm.