General
A review of data provided by 3 “leading educational research firms” (Quality Education Data, TALMIS, and Market Data Retrieval) concerning use of microcomputers in U.S. schools showed that, as of Fall 1982, the number of schools with microcomputers by type of school was as follows:
elementary schools: 21% had microcomputers with 67% of them keeping the computer in the resource or media center;
junior high schools: 30% had microcomputers with 71% of them keeping the computer in the resource center;
high schools: 60% had microcomputers with 42% of them keeping the computer in the resource center. (Source)
Academic
A 1974 comparison of a semiautomated (Mohawk punched card) system vs. manual circulation system at Colorado State University showed thatthe unit costs of the manual system were $0,365 vs. $0,474 for the automated system, an increase of 29.9%. (Source)
A study reported in 1977 at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus concerning attitudes held by heads of academic units toward departmental libraries independent of the university library system (sample size: 167; responding: 108 or 64.7% including 67 respondents with independent departmental libraries and 41 respondents without such libraries) showed that, while 88% of both groups indicated that an online terminal for interface with the official library system would be “helpful” or “essential,” 31% of the respondents with independent department libraries and 20% of the respondents without independent departmental libraries rated the terminals as “essential.” (Source)
A 1979 survey of academic libraries listed in the 1979 edition of OCLC Participating Libraries Arranged by Network and Institution (survey size: 200 libraries; responding: 166 or 83%) showed thatof 163 respondents the number of OCLC terminals used for cataloging per library was as follows:
1 terminal 104 (63.8%) libraries
2 terminals 36 (22.1%) libraries
3 terminals 8 (4.9%) libraries
4 terminals 9 (5.5%) libraries
5-17 terminals 6 (3.7%) libraries (Source)
A 1981 survey of U.S. depository libraries, both academic and public (sample size: 221; responding: 171 or 77%), concerning their use of online data bases (DIALOG, ORBIT, and BRS), particularly with regard to government documents showed that35% of the academic libraries and 65% of the public libraries did not have online terminals in the library. (Source)
Ibid…. showed thatthe 2 main reasons academic depository librarians reported for not doing online searching were that other librarians do online data base searching (53%), and that no terminals were available (35%); while the 2 main reasons public depository librarians reported for not doing online searching were no terminals (60%) and no money available (38%). (Source)
Public
A 1981 survey of U.S. depository libraries, both academic and public (sample size: 221; responding: 171 or 77%), concerning their use of online data bases (DIALOG, ORBIT, and BRS), particularly with regard to government documents showed that35% of the academic libraries and 65% of the public libraries did not have online terminals in the library. (Source)
Ibid…. showed thatthe 2 main reasons academic depository librarians reported for not doing online searching were that other librarians do online data base searching (53%), and that no terminals were available (35%); while the 2 main reasons public depository librarians reported for not doing online searching were no terminals (60%) and no money available (38%). (Source)
School
A 1983 survey of a systematic sample of school library media centers concerning data for fiscal year 1982-83 (survey size: 2,000 centers; responding: 1,297; usable: 1,251 or 62%) showed thatthe use of microcomputers by type of library was as follows [total respondents for each type of library not given]:
elementary schools: 186 centers reported an average of 2.46 microcomputers located in the library media center, while 84 centers reported an average of 3.69 microcomputers located outside of the media center but managed by the media specialists;
junior high/middle schools: 70 centers reported an average of 2.0 microcomputers located in the library media center, while 22 centers reported an average of 4.09 microcomputers located outside of the media center but managed by the media specialists;
senior high school: 96 centers reported an average of 2.52 microcomputers located in the library media center, while 32 reported an average of 5.75 microcomputers located outside of the media center but managed by the media specialists;
combination of the above schools: 9 centers reported an average of 2.0 microcomputers located in the library media center, while 6 centers reported an average of 7.33 microcomputers located outside of the media center but managed by the media specialists. (Source)
Ibid…. showed that[in 1982-83] the average expenditure for microcomputer software reported by 81 elementary centers was $595; for 37 junior high/middle school centers was $322; for 46 senior high centers was $381; and for 5 combinations of the above schools was $523. (Source)
Special
A study reported in 1978 of LEXIS subscribers in 4 different cities (Cleveland, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C.) (sample size: 62; responding: 39; usable: 38 or 61.3%) involving 35 law firms, 2 law schools, and 1 government agency showed that31 (81.6%) of the respondents had 1 LEXIS terminal, 6 (15.8%) had 2 LEXIS terminals, and 1 (2.6%) had more than 2 LEXIS terminals. (Source)
Ibid…. showed that15 (39.5%) respondents had had a LEXIS terminal for more than 2 years, 11 (28.9%) had had such a terminal for 1-2 years, 8 (21.1%) had had one for 1/2 to 1 year, and 4 (10.5%) had had one for less than 1/2 year. (Source)
Ibid…. showed thatof 41 terminals, 32 (78.1%) were located in the library or adjacent office, 1 (2.4%) was located in the librarian’s office, 6 (14.6%) were located in an assigned office, and 2 (4.9%) were located in branch offices. (Source)
