[OPLINLIST] News from ALA:HAPLR Numbers Wrong

[Hickson, Pamela]

Wrong Numbers Used in HAPLR Report, says American Libraries 
 
American Libraries has discovered an unfortunate error that invalidates
the results of Hennen's American Public Library Ratings published in the
October 2008 issue of the magazine of the American Library Association. 
 
Thomas J. Hennen Jr., author of this independent study, discovered after
the issue was mailed that the figures used in compiling the statistics
were the same as those used in 2006.
 
The new numbers will be posted on the HAPLR website at
www.haplr-index.com. The corrected tables will also appear in PDF format
as soon as possible on the American Libraries website at
www.ala.org/ala/alonline/, as well as in the November issue of the
magazine.
 
"Technology is a wonder; it can also be a horror," said Hennen. "I
referred to the wrong data set in my computer files. The result was
republishing the last edition, scoring and ranking every library the
same for the 2008 as for the 2006 edition. I have now redone things, and
I apologize to everyone for this terrible mistake.
 
"We sincerely regret this error and the confusion it will undoubtedly
cause," said Leonard Kniffel, American Libraries editor-in-chief. "The
HAPLR rankings have been used by many libraries to tout their success to
local media, so it is important to get the correct numbers and rankings
on the record as quickly as possible.
 
 



Pamela J. Hickson-Stevenson, Ohio Chapter Councilor to the American
Library Association &

Assistant Director

Akron-Summit County Public Library

60 S. High Street

Akron, OH  44326

 

Phone 330.643.9102

Fax 330.643.9160

 

phs at akronlibrary.org <mailto:phs at akronlibrary.org> 

www.akronlibrary.org <http://www.akronlibrary.org>  

 

The Akron-Summit County Public Library provides resources for learning
and leisure, information services, meeting spaces, and programs for all
ages that support, improve, and enrich individual, family, and community
life.

 

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