Jack Miller, chancellor of the university, authored the study, which examines the extent to which residents of the USA's largest 79 cities behave in literate ways - such as buying newspapers and books or checking materials out of the library.

The information is compiled from U.S. Census and Education Department data, newspaper circulation rates, magazine publishing, educational attainment levels, library resources and booksellers – 22 variables in all.

"Clearly the public library can play a crucial role in helping to create a reading population, and such a high ranking for the library component in the survey validates the excellent level of public support we have received from our community. Here in Akron the Library is participating in a broadly-based collaboration to promote literacy (THIS CITY READS), and although it is gratifying to see our efforts recognized, we know we still have a great deal of work to do." said David Jennings, interim director.

In addition to Akron’s top rating, several Ohio cities fared well: Toledo, sixth (40th overall); Columbus, fifth (11th overall); and Cleveland eighth (14th overall).

"I think there has been way too much focus on the test-score part of it, and not enough on whether or not people behave in literate ways. And that's really the real goal of an education," said Miller, a longtime education researcher.

This is the second year of Miller's study, which ranks cities with populations of 200,000 or more. For more on the report, go to www.uww.edu/npa/cities or visit the Library’s Web site at www.akronlibrary.org.

The ASCPL system is comprised of a main library, 17 branch locations and three mobile services vehicles. In 2003, the system circulated 5,155,296 items and had 253,704 library cardholders.

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Contact:
Carla Davis, Marketing Communications Director
Phone: 330-643-9090
Fax: 330-643-9094
E-mail: cdavis@ascpl.lib.oh.us