Santa Clara County Library News Release
November 2002
American Libraries names Santa Clara County Library Number One Public Library in America
For the second time in two years, the Santa Clara County Library has been named the best public library in the nation serving a population between 250,000 and 500,000.
American Libraries has just published a third round of public library ranking, "Hennen's American Public Library Ratings 2002" by Thomas J. Hennen Jr., based on the latest data from the Federal-State Cooperative System (FSCS). HAPLR™ 2002 is featured in the October 2002 issue of American Libraries magazine, a publication of the American Libraries Association. Previous editions were published in American Libraries 1999 and 2000.
Hennen's American Public Library Ratings, HAPLR™, attempts to identify the public libraries in America with the highest input and output measures. Such measures as cost per circulation, visits per capita and funding per capita are tabulated to produce the HAPLR™ Index ratings. Hennen's first round of rankings appeared in American Libraries January 1999 issue.
American Libraries Editor Leonard Kniffel said, "The Hennen rankings reward and validate the hard work that librarians do to make their libraries central to the quality of life in their communities. I'm pleased to be able to present them in American Libraries."
Acting County Librarian Julie Farnsworth said, "We are delighted to be named number one for another year. We are deeply grateful to all of our library users who are the reason we have such excellent service. They have provided the support, encouragement and funding which now has been recognized on a national level."
Hennen may be reached at 414-886-1625. His web site is located at http://haplr-index.com. American Libraries is the magazine of the American Library Association and circulates to some 57,000 members and more than 3,000 institutional subscribers.
The Santa Clara County Library serves more than 400,000 residents of Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Saratoga and the unincorporated portions of the County.
Contact:
Julie Farnsworth or Gay Strand
Santa Clara County Library
