Washington

Economic Vitality Brought with Seattle Central Library

The Library is associated with $16 million in net new spending in Seattle in its first year of operations--equal to $80 million for 5 years, $160 million for 10 years, or $320 million over a 20-year period. Nearby businesses report increases in spending associated with visitors to the Central Library. Increases in the use of Library resources contributes to learning, literacy, business productivity, personal and professional developments, and individual livelihood.
Reference: 
The Seattle Public Library central library : economic benefits assessment : the transformative power of a library to redefine learning, community, and economic development

Building Community Character with the Seattle Central Library

The foot traffic and cultural vitality the Library brings enhances the desirability of Downtown as a residential and commercial market. It serves as a new icon for Seattle and attracts tourists, knowledge workers, and high technology industries to the City. The Library knits together the residential neighborhoods of Belltown and First Hill and retail concentrations in the Downtown shopping district and Pioneer Square. The Library could be an important contributor in repositioning Downtown as a cultural arts district.
Reference: 
The Seattle Public Library central library : economic benefits assessment : the transformative power of a library to redefine learning, community, and economic development

Expanding Identity of Seattle Central Library to Tourists

More than 2.3 million tourists are expected to visit the Central Library during its first year of operation, an increase of more than 250% compared to the prior year. Approximately 30% of these visitors--725,000 individuals--are projected to be out-of-town visitors, coming from the Puget Sound region, other states, or other countries. The Library is drawing greater numbers of visitors from a larger radius; these increases in activity drive the economic benefits the Library brings to Seattle. A 1% increase in annual visitors to King County creates $1 billion in new spending statewide over a 25 year period.
Reference: 
The Seattle Public Library central library : economic benefits assessment : the transformative power of a library to redefine learning, community, and economic development

Mixed method research design employed by the U.S. IMPACT studies to develop and validate performance indicators related specifically to the outcomes of public access computing (PAC)

Through the use of a nationwide telephone survey, library case studies, and a nationwide Internet survey of public access computing patrons, this approach will generate generalizable quantitative data on the extent and distribution of the use of public access computing resources, as well as provide rich contextual data that will help in the understanding of how patrons use the computer and Internet connections in public libraries and the impact it has on their lives. Further, the mixed methods approach will allow for the examination of external factors that may influence patron outcomes, including the level library services and funding, community perceptions, and the availability of alternative modes of free access to computers and the Internet.
Reference: 
Communicating the Impact of Free Access to Computers and the Internet in Public Libraries: A Mixed Methods Approach to Developing Outcome Indicators