Every Purchase Counts: How Corona Public Library Used LibraryIQ to Grow Collections with Confidence
THE CHALLENGE
Corona Public Library (CPL) serves a diverse, growing community with strong demand for print materials. Staff knew that several areas in the teen and adult collections were understocked but weren’t sure how to fill it.
With a fixed budget and limited shelf space, there was no room for purchasing mistakes. Every title needed to make an impact. CPL staff needed a way to identify exactly where the gaps were, find the right title to fill it, and feel confident those purchases would circulate.
THE SOLUTION
CPL staff used LibraryIQ to create a data-backed purchasing plan.
FINDING THE GAPS
Staff used LibraryIQ’s demand data to see exactly which teen and adult areas were understocked relative to what patrons were actually looking for. They now had a clear picture of where the collection needed expansion and where the budget would have the most impact.
FILLING THE GAPS WITH THE RIGHT TITLES
With target areas identified, staff used LibraryIQ’s curated title lists — Recommended DEI Titles, HITS, Picks for Public Libraries, and Forthcoming Titles — to determine purchases aligned with community interest. Ready-to-use, evidence-backed recommendations meant less time second-guessing individual titles and more time acting on what the data showed.
THE RESULTS
FOR PATRONS
New titles reached shelves quickly and reflected actual community interest. CPL staff created displays in the Adult and Teen New Releases areas that gave new arrivals immediate visibility. Since hitting the shelves, the new titles have already accumulated 85 circulations.
FOR STAFF
Instead of weighing purchases based on instinct or anecdotal feedback, CPL staff had data showing where demand existed and specific recommendations for how to meet it. Every purchase had a clear rationale behind it. In an environment where every dollar and every inch of shelf space matters, that’s not a small thing. Because LibraryIQ’s lists are continuously updated, the same process is repeatable — making every future purchasing decision just as informed as this one.
IQ TOOLS USED
Collection Development — Demand by Collection Overview
Collection Development — Forthcoming Titles
Collection Diversity — Recommended DEI Titles