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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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