ACRL releases 2010 Academic Library Trends and Statistics

CHICAGO– The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) announces the publication of “2010 Academic Library Trends and Statistics,” the latest in a series of annual publications that describe the collections, staffing, expenditures and service activities of academic libraries in all Carnegie classifications. The three-volume set includes associate of arts institutions, master's colleges and universities/baccalaureate colleges and research/doctoral-granting institutions. The individual volumes for associates colleges, masters/baccalaureate and doctoral-granting institutions are also available for purchase.

The 2010 data show that the median unit cost of monographs (per volume) increased slightly over 2009 for all types of academic libraries (11.1 percent for associate degree-granting institutions, 2.2 percent for baccalaureate institutions, 3.4 percent for comprehensive institutions and 6.2 percent for doctoral/research institutions), while salary and wages expenditures as a percentage of total library expenditures remained unchanged for baccalaureate and comprehensive institutions, slightly decreased for doctoral institutions and increased almost 3 percent for associate degree-granting institutions. Salaries and wages constituted 76.4 percent of total library expenditures for associate-degree granting institutions, 58.98 percent for baccalaureate, 58.08 percent for comprehensive schools and 45.61 percent for doctoral/research institutions.

Serial expenditures as a percentage of total library materials expenditures increased for all schools except doctoral degree-granting institutions. Serial expenditures constituted 57.98 percent of total library materials expenditures for baccalaureate institutions; 65 percent for comprehensive institutions; 73.09 percent for doctoral/research institutions and 32.77 percent for associate degree-granting institutions. The percentage of student assistant staff as a percentage of total staff increased over 2009, ranging from a low of 20 increase at associate degree-granting institutions to a high of 32.14 percent at baccalaureate institutions.

The 2010 survey includes data from 1,514 academic libraries in six major categories:

·         Collections (including volumes, serials, multimedia)

·         Expenditures (library materials, wages and salaries, other operating)

·         Electronic Resources (including expenditures, collections, services, usage)

·         Personnel and Public Services (staff and services)

·         Ph.D.s Granted, Faculty, Student Enrollment

·         Faculty Rank, Status and Tenure for Librarians

The survey also provides analysis of selected variables and summary data (high, low, mean and median) for all elements. The 2010 data can be used for self-studies, budgeting, strategic planning, annual reports, grant applications and benchmarking.

“2010 Academic Library Trends and Statistics” is available for purchase through the ALA Online Store, by telephone order at (866) 746-7252 in the U.S. or (770) 442-8633 for international customers. Contact Mary Jane Petrowski at mpetrowski@ala.org or (312) 280-2523 with questions.

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ACRL is a division of the American Library Association (ALA), representing more than 12,000 academic and research librarians and interested individuals. ACRL is the only individual membership organization in North America that develops programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of academic and research librarians. Its initiatives enable the higher education community to understand the role that academic libraries play in the teaching, learning and research environments. ACRL is on the Web at http://www.acrl.org/, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ala.acrl and Twitter at @ala_acrl.