Academic

A study reported in 1981 of data on 1,146 2-year colleges, as reported in the 1977 Higher Education General Information Surveys and compared to the 1979 Association of College and Research Libraries standards, showed that, overall the average library operating expenditures totaled $166,000 with median expenditures totaling $102,000, including average expenditures for privately supported schools (235 responding) of $42,000 and average expenditures for publicly supported schools (911 responding) of $198,000.     (Source)

        Ibid... showed that overall the average library materials budget was $39,000 with a median of $27,000, including average expenditures for privately supported schools (235 responding) of $11,000 and average expenditures for publicly supported schools (911 responding) of $46,000.     (Source)

        Ibid...showed that overall the average library salaries and wages budget was $99,000 with a median of $55,000, including average salaries and wages budgets in privately supported schools (235 responding) of $23,000 and average salaries and wages budgets in publicly supported schools (911 responding) of $118,000.    (Source)

A study reported in 1980 at the University of Rochester, comparing costs of 1 year versus 3 year journal subscriptions based on a sample of 20 business administration and management science periodicals, showed that, when 4 variables were considered (cost of capital, reorder costs, average inflation rate for 1 year subscriptions, and ratio of 3 year to 1 year subscription costs), the 3 year subscription period was always the most advantageous in terms of cost. Specifically, the least projected savings for the 20 periodicals was 12%, while the most in projected savings that could be realized was 106%. The savings was due to locking in advantageous subscription rates for a 3 year period and to reduced staff costs caused by reduced renewal activity.     (Source)

A study reported in 1983 of surveys of medical school libraries for the period 1960-61 through 1980-81, made by the American Medical Association, the Medical Library Association, the Association of Academic Health Sciences Library Directors, and the National Library of Medicine, showed that during the 3 year period 1978-79 through 1980-81, on the basis of regular funds spent (excluding special contracts and grants), medical school libraries spent "more than three times as much on serials as they do on monographs." Even as expenditures increased during this period, the ratio remained constant.     (Source)

An Indiana University survey for the National Science Foundation reported in 1979, showed that, major academic libraries increased their materials budget by an average of 9.4% in the period 1973-76; a 15-18% increase was reported necessary to maintain equivalent coverage.     (Source)

        Ibid...showed that library administrators responded to shortages in the library materials serials budget primarily by canceling duplicates and shifting funds from monographic to serials accounts. The third most common tactic was to halt new subscriptions in order to renew old ones.     (Source)

        Ibid...showed that during the period 1969-76 large academic libraries increased the percentage of their budget spent on serials at the expense of monographs. In 1969 $2 was spent on serials for every $1 spent on monographs; by 1976 a steady decrease had reduced the ratio to $1.23 for serials for each $1 spent on monographs.     (Source)

Public

An attempt reported in 1982 to establish 4 input measures and 4 output measures for public libraries, based on published statistical reports for 301 New Jersey public libraries over a 6-year period (1974-79) and survey data for 96 public libraries in New Jersey, showed that (per capita based on number of residents in the library's service area):

    INPUT MEASURES

The proportion of budget spent on materials averaged 19.9%,
with a standard deviation of .081 (based on 301 libraries).

The new volumes per capita averaged .181, with a standard
deviation of .097 (based on 301 libraries).

The periodical titles per capita averaged .0094, with a standard
deviation of .0054 (based on 301 libraries).

The circulation per volume averaged 1.79, with a standard
deviation of .77 (based on 301 libraries).

    OUTPUT MEASURES

The circulation per capita averaged 5.04, with a standard
deviation of 3.07 (based on 301 libraries).

The patron visits per capita averaged 2.82, with a standard
deviation of 1.82 (based on 96 libraries).

The reference questions per capita averaged 1.12, with a
standard deviation of .79 (based on 96 libraries).

The in-library uses of materials per capita averaged 2.29, with a
standard deviation of 2.02 (based on 96 libraries).    (Source)


A survey of 53 U.S. public libraries (all responding) reported in 1983
concerning circulation and expenditures showed that, using 1980 as a base
year (index value = 100), expenditures rose 10% by 1981 (index value =
110), while expenditures had risen a further 11% by 1982 (index value =
121). However, when expenditures were adjusted for inflation using the
Consumer Price Index, there was no increase in real expenditures in 1981
(index value = 100), although there was a 4% real increase in expendi-
tures the following year, in 1982 (index value = 104). Further, between
1980-82 the amount of expenditures spent on salaries rose from 63% to 64%,
while the amount of expenditures spent on materials dropped from 16% to
15%. The amount spent on “other” remained constant at 21%.   (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; respond-
ing: 1,297; usable: 1,251 or 62%) showed that a comparison of privately
supported (72) and publicly supported (1,179) school library media centers
revealed that media specialists in private schools served fewer students,
had more money to spend on resources, administered smaller collections,
and earned more modest salaries. Specifically:

    enrollment averaged 460 students for private schools and 669
for public schools;

    total materials expenditure per student averaged $12.55 for
private schools and $9.62 for public schools;

    the number of books per student averaged 27.08 for private
schools and 18.44 for public schools;

    the number of AV items per student averaged 3.2 for private
schools and 3.26 for public schools;

    in private schools the media specialist averaged 8.92 years of
experience with a salary of $13,880, while in public schools the
media specialist averaged 11.08 years of experience with a
salary of $20,389.    (Source)
 

Special

A study reported in 1983 of surveys of medical school libraries for the
period 1960-61 through 1980-81, made by the American Medical Associa-
tion, the Medical Library Assoication, the Association of Academic
Health Sciences Library Directors, and the National Library of Medicine,
showed that during the 3-year period 1978-79 through 1980-81, on the basis
of regular funds spent (excluding special contracts and grants), medical
school libraries spent “more than three times as much on serials as they do
on monographs.” Even as expenditures increased during this period, the ratio remained constant.   (Source)

Dr. David Kohl

 "Libraries in the digital age are experiencing the most profound transformation since ancient Mesopotamian scribes first began gathering and organizing cuneiform tablets."

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