How often do you use services from your local library? What do you love about them? What do you wish to see changed in programming? Do you support a regional model?
The Dallas Public Library is partnering with the Friends of the Dallas Public Library to conduct a survey to understand how residents use library services and how proposed changes may affect them.
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Residents can fill out the 32-question survey here.
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The move comes after city staff received backlash from Dallas City Council members and residents during the council’s Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee meeting in January.
Dallas Public Library Director Manya Shorr presented a proposal at the January meeting suggesting the city transition to a regional model that included closing four libraries. The proposal was halted, and city staff said they would present revised options in March for reshaping the public library system.
The survey explains the regional model and the city’s proposal.
These are some of the questions included in the survey:
How often do you use Dallas Public Library services?What, if anything, prevents you from using the library more often?The city of Dallas should prioritize additional funding to maintain neighborhood libraries and avoid closures? If closing some libraries allowed the Dallas Public Library to avoid reductions in hours, staffing, and services at every remaining library, would that change your view?If your nearest neighborhood library were no longer open, how willing would you be to travel to a library that is open seven days a week?Demographic questions like age groups, gender and ethnicity are included.
To gather broader public input, the survey is available in English and Spanish for residents until Feb. 26.
Currently, there are 29 library branches across the city. The former Skillman Southwestern Branch Library was closed last year in September, and the building was auctioned off on Feb. 10. The Kleberg-Rylie Branch Library in southeast Dallas has closed indefinitely after severe water damage.