Survey: Consumers Generally Satisfied with Local Government and Outsourced Services

LS&S research shows support for libraries operated by companies

ROCKVILLE, Maryland – Commissioned research from Library Systems & Services (LS&S) reveals that U.S. consumers are content overall with the services provided by local government. The top functions evoking positive responses were libraries (81 percent), public safety (70 percent), transportation (54 percent) and education (51 percent).
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The results also indicated a preference for local governments to consider new ways of delivering services. For example, 53 percent of these registered voters said hiring private companies to provide government services is “mainly a good thing.” Regarding public libraries in particular, and after they said they were informed on the issue, 47 percent of respondents stated they would support local government hiring a private company to provide library services.

Other highlights from the survey include:

• Only 4 in 10 voters think [their] local government does a good job providing information on administrative costs and overall performance of local public libraries
• 57 percent of those polled said they would be more likely to support local government hiring a private company to run a library if they knew it meant better service for less cost
• 54 percent said they would support a privately run public library if the library was underfunded and could not update inventory or technology
• 43 percent said local government does a good job providing information on the types of companies that provide general services to its citizens, while 27 said government does a poor job
• 42% said local government does a good job providing information on administrative costs and overall performance of local public libraries, while 26% indicated that government does not do a good job

Says Chris Ourand, vice president of marketing at LS&S, “While the data shows satisfaction in some areas it was not universal. Cities and counties need the private sector to help them with service delivery, and citizens are open to that.” Indicate

Continued Ourand, “Libraries have become much more than book providers; they are community centers where people use technology to take courses and find jobs, enjoy recreation and learn in a group setting. Unfunded pensions and proposed federal budget cuts threaten this, and we encourage local governments to bolster their libraries with long-term, private-sector solutions.”

Conducted by Morning Consult, the online survey polled 1,980 registered voters from March 30- April 01, 2017. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of +/- 2%.