California State Library (CSL) Library Programs
Consultant Ira Bray earned the 2006 Helen M.
Eckard Award, an honor for innovative and
exemplary use of FSCS (Federal-State Cooperative
System for Public Library Data) Public Library
data.
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2006
Eckard winner, Ira Bray of the California State Library |
Bray manages the CSL’s
library statistics page on the
CSL website. The page
provides statistical information about California's
public, academic, special and county law libraries.
An electronic version of California Library
Statistics annual publication is provided on the
statistics page as well as numerous resources for
other data about California's libraries.
CSL statistics describe the collections, service,
financing, and staffing of each library. Libraries
use this information for local planning purposes and
for comparison with other libraries. Statewide, the
data support budget requests and understanding of
the impact of legislation affecting public
libraries. The information provided is also useful
to library and public policy researchers, the
public, journalists and others.
The FSCS steering committee that decides upon the
Eckard award includes representatives from
NCLIS (The National Commission on Libraries and
Information Science),
NCES (The National Center for Education
Statistics), CENSUS, the
American Library Association and elected
representatives from the
State Data Coordinators.
State Librarian Susan Hildreth says, “The California
State Library’s statistics page is an outstanding
resource due largely to Ira Bray’s excellent work.
His award is greatly deserved.”
A full description of the Eckard Award can be found
at: http://www.nclis.gov/statsurv/surveys/fscs/awardsFSCS/eckard.pdf.
For more information about the
CSL’s
library statistics page, contact Ira Bray at
(916) 653-0171 or email at
ibray@library.ca.gov.
