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X-Inefficiency in the Public Sector: the Case of Libraries

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  • Donald F. Vitaliano

    (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

Abstract

A short-run total cost function is fitted to 1992 data for 235 public libraries in New York state. The stochastic frontier model is employed, which decomposes the error term into a random variable for statistical noise and a residual component measur ing economic inefficiency. Mean X-inefficiency (cost inefficiency) is estimated to be 24%. Government-run public libraries are about 3% more inefficient than private not-for-profit public libraries. Funding sources also influence efficiency: The greater the proportion of funds derivedfrom local taxation and from gifts, the more efficient the library.

Suggested Citation

  • Donald F. Vitaliano, 1997. "X-Inefficiency in the Public Sector: the Case of Libraries," Public Finance Review, , vol. 25(6), pages 629-643, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:25:y:1997:i:6:p:629-643
    DOI: 10.1177/109114219702500604
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Amir B. Ferreira Neto & Joshua C. Hall, 2019. "Economies of scale and governance of library systems: evidence from West Virginia," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 237-253, September.
    2. Amir Borges Ferreira Neto, 2023. "Do public libraries impact local labour markets? Evidence from Appalachia," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 216-238, April.
    3. Hitoshi Saito & Haruaki Hirota & Hideo Yunoue & Miki Miyaki, 2023. "Do municipal mergers internalise spatial spillover effects? empirical evidence from Japanese municipalities," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 70(2), pages 379-406, April.
    4. Alexander Kalb, 2014. "What Determines Local Governments' Cost-efficiency? The Case of Road Maintenance," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(9), pages 1483-1498, September.
    5. Saito, Hitoshi & Hirota, Haruaki & Yunoue, Hideo & Miyaki, Miki, 2017. "Does municipal mergers internalize spatial spillover effects? Empirical evidence from Japanese municipalities," MPRA Paper 76833, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Hammond, Christopher J., 2009. "The effect of organisational change on UK public library efficiency," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(1), pages 286-295, September.
    7. Jeffrey Andrew Hemmeter, 2006. "Estimating Public Library Efficiency Using Stochastic Frontiers," Public Finance Review, , vol. 34(3), pages 328-348, May.
    8. Andrew Worthington & Brian Dollery, 2000. "Efficiency Measurement in the Local Public Sector: Econometric and Mathematical Programming Frontier Techniques," School of Economics and Finance Discussion Papers and Working Papers Series 078, School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology.
    9. John Ruggiero & Donald F. Vitaliano, 1999. "Assessing The Efficiency Of Public Schools Using Data Envelopment Analysis And Frontier Regression," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 17(3), pages 321-331, July.
    10. Kalb, Alexander, 2009. "What determines local governments' technical efficiency? The case of road maintenance," ZEW Discussion Papers 09-047, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    11. Del Barrio-Tellado, María José & Gómez-Vega, Mafalda & Herrero-Prieto, Luis César, 2023. "Performance of cultural heritage institutions: A regional perspective," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PB).
    12. Gregory Gilpin & Ezra Karger & Peter Nencka, 2021. "The Returns to Public Library Investment," Working Paper Series WP-2021-06, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, revised 20 Jul 2021.

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