I have a few libraries who have approached me with a question about their counting methodology. The note says files should have been purged in the past three years. They don't purge files, they have records of expired and active cards. Cards are only good for two years and then you have to renew at these libraries. They want to report numbers that are on level with the rest of the libraries in the state, who are purging inactive users every three years. So they want to know whether they should report:

1. All active cardholders as well as all other cardholders who expired last year
2. All active cardholders as well as all other cardholders who expired last year and the year before
3. And I want to know whether they should just be reporting active cardholders and no expired people. 

I understand that it seems unfair that the rest of the state gets to report more inactive users since their systems are more lax, but it does seem like a straight count is the real answer to the question. Of course, they've been doing option #1 for years so I also don't know that I want them changing reporting now because the numbers would shift dramatically.