Avalon Library Repeats Five-Star Status

AVALON — The Avalon Free Public Library (AFPL) has been listed for the second time this year as one of the country’s top libraries by Library Journal (LJ).
In the Nov. 15 edition of Library Journal, the LJ Index of Public Library Service rated AFPL as a 5 Star on the basis of statistical performance data collected by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in 2007. AFPL’s first five-star rating, which was awarded in February of this year, is based on 2006 performance data.
Two hundred fifty-eight libraries out of a total of 7,268 received three, four and five star ratings.
In addition to the Avalon Library, the New Jersey star rating recipients include Mercer County Library (in Lawrenceville) and Bernardsville Public Library, each with 5 stars, Princeton Public Library with 4 stars and Summerset County Library (in Bridgewater) with 3 stars.
The LJ Index of Public Library Services reviews four per capita output measures that indicate public service- circulation, visits, program attendance, and public Internet use.
The release of two rounds of LJ Index in 2009 can be attributed to a dramatic improvement in the speed of processing data obtained from its annual census of U.S. public libraries. The LJ Index will continue to publish results of the survey as soon as available each year.
“This rating is a reflection of how much the community values this library, and the hard work by staff members and library board trustees to make the library a cultural focal point in Avalon’” said Norman Gluckman, library director.