PLS FY 2023 Import and Edit File Memo_Final.pdf

FY 2023 PLS Data Collection:

Data Element Changes and Import File and Edit Check Specifications Date: May 17, 2023

To: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and State Data Coordinators (SDCs)

From: American Institutes for Research (AIR)

To help you and your libraries prepare for the FY 2023 PLS data submission in 2024, this memo provides an overview of the following information:

1. Data element changes

2. Import file specifications

3. Edit check specifications

The two specification files and this memo will also be available on the IMLS Group Site in the future. AIR is distributing these documents directly to Counting Opinions and Baker & Taylor; if you use one of these vendors, please confirm the implementation of these specifications as they relate to your state’s survey.

1. Data Element Changes

This section presents the details of data element changes for the FY 2023 PLS. The following subsections relay the details of the following:

A. Revisions: zero data elements

B. Deletions: 10 data elements

C. Additions: zero data element

1.1. Revised Data Elements

No data elements were revised for FY 2023.

May 17, 2023

1.2. Deleted Data Elements

The following 10 data elements have been deleted from the FY 2023 PLS data collection:

• Data Element 510, Closed Outlets Due to COVID-19 (C19CLOSE)

• Data Element 511, Public Services During COVID-19 (C19PUBSV)

• Data Element 514, Electronic Library Cards Issues During COVID-19 (C19ECRD2)

• Data Element 515, Reference Service During COVID-19 (C19REFER)

• Data Element 516, Outside Service During COVID-19 (C19OUTSD)

• Data Element 520, External WiFi Access Added During COVID-19 (C19XWIF2)

• Data Element 521, External WiFi Access Increased During COVID-19 (C19XWIF3)

• Data Element 522, Staff Re-Assigned During COVID-19 (C19STOTH)

• Data Element 715, Number of Weeks an Outlet Closed Due to COVID-19 (C19WKSCL)

• Data Element 716, Number of Weeks an Outlet Had Limited Occupancy Due to COVID-

19 (C19WKSLO)

1.3. Added Data Elements

No new data elements were added for FY 2023.

2. Import File Specifications (File: FY 2023 PLS Import Specs_Final.xlsx)

The FY 2023 import file specifications reflect all changes listed in detail above. All deletions are highlighted in red and crossed out. Please ensure your AE import file matches the structure provided (especially the order of data elements in the columns) or your data will not be appropriately imported into the Web Portal.

3. Edit Check Specifications (File: FY 2023 PLS Edit Changes_Final.xlsx)

The first tab in the edit check specification document, labeled “Edit Changes FY23,” provides new, changed, and/or deleted edit checks for FY 2023 data elements. As noted in the “Description of Change” column, changes to the edit checks for FY 2023 include:

3.1. Reactivated Edit Checks (from COVID-19 hiatus)

• 19 noncritical edit checks have been turned back on as COVID-19 closures should no longer be impacting these data elements.

3.2. Deleted Edit Checks

• No edit checks were deleted for FY 2023.

3.3. Added Edit Checks

• 4 noncritical edit check have been added for FY 2023 to review TOTVIEWS.

3.4. Revised Edit Checks

• No edit checks were revised for FY 2023.

The “All Edits FY23” tab includes both the unaltered edit checks brought forward from FY 2022 and modifications mentioned above for FY 2023. We provide definitions for each column header in the “Edit Changes FY23” and “All Edits FY23” table below:

• Description of Change (“Edit Changes FY23” tab only): Provides a summary explanation of the new, revised, and deleted edit checks; for revised edit checks, this column specifies whether the logic, edit message text, and/or code number are changed.

• COVID-19 Temp Off (“All Edits FY23” tab only): Indicates with “Y” those edit checks that are being temporarily deactivated due to COVID-19.

• Pubord: Indicates the broad type of edit; “C” means a current year edit, and “H” means a historical edit (comparing current year and prior year values).

• Critical: Indicates if the edit is a critical, non-critical, or internal1 edit. “Y” indicates a critical edit, “N” indicates non-critical, and “I” indicates internal (which is also non-critical.

• Old Code (“Edit Changes FY23” tab only): The five-digit edit check number used prior to FY 2023; only provided for edit checks that have a new code number for FY 2023.

• Code: Presents the edit check code, a five-digit number, which is assigned in the following manner:

o First three digits refer to the data element number being checked. (If there are multiple data elements for the check it is typically the number of the data element that is a sum of the detail variables.)

1 Since FY 2017, internal edits have been incorporated into the Web Portal Edit Report. In prior cycles, internal edits were run only in the Post-Lock Edit Report and were not part of the Web Portal Edit Report.

o Last two digits usually refer to the specific type of logic. (The definitions for these codes are available on the “Logic Type Codes” tab.)

• Flag Condition: Presents edit check logic expression.

• Edit Message: Presents text that is displayed in the Edit Report associated with this edit.

• Edit Condition: Provides detailed explanation of the edit check that lists the data element numbers associated with this edit. This is not displayed in the Edit Report.

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