ALA Library Fact Sheets
The ALA Library receives inquiries from librarians across the country and around the world, as well as from the general public, on a wide variety of library topics. We have prepared fact sheets on the most asked-about topics, as noted below.
If you don't see your topic, or if you need more information than is provided on the fact sheets, feel free to contact the ALA Library Reference Desk by telephone: 800-545-2433, extension 2153; fax: 312-280-3255; e-mail: library@ala.org; or regular mail: ALA Library, American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611-2795.
Related Links
Frequently Asked Questions from Authors and Publishers
Statistics About Libraries web page, from the Office for Research and Statistics
Frequently Asked Questions About Books and Reading
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ALA Library Fact Sheet 1 - Number of Libraries in the United States Number of libraries in the U.S.
broken down by type of library.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 2: Number Employed in Libraries Number of persons employed in libraries.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 3: Lists of Libraries Names
the various library directories (including the American Library Directory published by Information Today, Inc.), provides contact information on the companies that sell mailing lists and mailing labels of libraries, and suggests a method to compile e-mail addresses for libraries.
Market Your Publications and Services with ALA Mailing Lists (PDF File) Latest version of the ALA brochure, "Market Your Publications and Services with ALA Mailing Lists," as an Adobe Reader PDF file.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 4: Library Operating Expenditures: A Selected Annotated Bibliography Selective listing of resources for determining the costs of running various types of libraries.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 5: Marketing to Libraries Strategies for informing the library community about your product or service, especially books.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 6: Public Library Use Lists
the recent studies that document public library use by patrons, which include
the opinions that patrons have about public libraries.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 7: Video and Copyright Guidelines on the use of videotapes in libraries (and classrooms), as well as links to the
web sites of companies that sell public performance rights licenses.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 8: Interlibrary Loans Gives
information on the latest version of the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States and
links over to where the interlibrary loan form can be downloaded as an Adobe Reader PDF document as well as a Microsoft Word file (which can be edited). Also provides guidance and bibliography on international interlibrary loan.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 9: Library Products, Services and Consultants Names print and online directories of library vendors
and library consultants, including the Librarian's Yellow Pages and ALA's Directory of Peer Consultants and Speakers.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 10: Disaster Response: A Selected Annotated Bibliography Selective listing of resources to help libraries respond to
disasters, including water damage to books.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 11: Building Libraries and Library Additions: A Selected Annotated Bibliography Selective listing of resources on creating new library buildings as well as on adding on or renovating existing library buildings. Includes resources on ADA (American with Disabilities Act) compliance and library building consultants.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 12: Sending Books to Needy Libraries: Book Donation Programs Lists
resources for finding the various groups and organizations that accept book donations for distribution in the United States as well as
in countries overseas.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 14: Moving Libraries Lists
the companies that offer relocation services to libraries, as well as a selected annotated bibliography.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 15: Weeding Library Collections: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for Library Collection Evaluation Annotated bibliography of resources informing on the process of discarding books from a library collection, focusing on collection development and collection evaluation.
ALA Library Fact Sheet
16:Setting Up A Library: A Resource Guide Bibliography of
periodical, book, and web site resources for starting a library.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 18: How to Acquire Cataloging Materials Provides
information on both Dewey Decimal System and Library of Congress cataloging materials.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 20: Joint-Use Libraries: A Bibliography Lists books and articles reporting on various joint-use/combined libraries across the country, especially public/school libraries.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 21: Automating Libraries: A Selected Annotated Bibliography Lists
resources for adding and using technology to perform various library duties, especially computer systems and software for cataloging.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 22: The Nation's Largest Libraries. A Listing By Volumes Held Tally
of the 100 largest libraries in the United States, in order by size of each library's collection.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 24: Library Fund Raising: A Selected Annotated Bibliography Guidance on securing financial backing for your library.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 25 - RFID: A Brief Bibliography Brief bibliography of ALA and other resources on Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID, technology, and its use in libraries.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 26: Internet Use in Libraries Library fact sheet with statistics on internet access, filtering use; information on selecting and installing filters; additional resources.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 28: ISBN and ISSN Systems Brief history of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN),
explains how to get these identification numbers for your own publications.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 29: Links to Library Web Resources Selected list of web sites that provide valuable information about libraries and librarianship. Includes links to the Library of Congress and the Copyright Office, the Schools and Libraries Division (e-rate discount organization), a list of library-oriented e-mail mailing lists, the National Center for Education Statistics Public Libraries in the United States survey series, and a list of state library web sites.
ALA Library Fact Sheet 30 - National Library Symbol/Library Symbol Highway Sign History of the National Library Symbol.
National Library Symbol
National Library Symbol as a web site graphic (jpg) file
Related Links
ALA Recommended Reading
ALA Recommended Viewing
ALA Recommended Listening
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