This study compares the overall spending trends and patterns of growth of Academic Libraries with Public Libraries, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and hospitals in the period of 1998 to 2008. Academic Libraries, while showing a growth of 13% over inflation for the period, far underperformed the growth of the other public institutions…

Data from 1987 and 1994 for four divisions of population and figures relating sex, salaries, and library support were compared to analyze changes over time. Comparisons show that average per capita support is up, average salary is up, the number of librarians is up and the numbers of male and female library directors are nearly equal. (Author/JKP)

A study of computer facilities in British libraries highlighted the respective benefits and disadvantages of using the parent institution's central computer or using a dedicated minicomputer. The large computer's technical advantages include greater opportunities for sharing or buying operational software, and the availability of experienced…

Analyzes the impact of the rising cost of materials on academic libraries as reflected in members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Highlights include total library expenditures; materials expenditures; comparisons with price indexes; and the impact of journal…

Discussion of the cost effectiveness of searching online versus searching on CD-ROM highlights an example that compares costs for searching the ERIC database. Fixed costs and variable costs are described, labor costs are examined, implications for management are considered, and the effect of the number of databases and workstations is discussed.…

This report addresses alternative means of interconnecting or providing access to the various automated systems within the 17-member North Bay Cooperative Library System (NBC), with emphasis on providing information on the availability of materials for loan, the principal objective of the NBC Telecommunications Project, Year Two. Advantages and…

Compares academic libraries in Japan and Australia in three areas: general background (number of libraries, financial support, size of collections, and student/staff ratios); the role of libraries (services offered, library instruction, accessibility, library cooperation, and expenditures); and library staffs (qualifications of directors, staff…

This report documents the results of a survey on the current use and management of approval plans, and compares them with similar studies published in SPEC kits in 1982 and 1988. Overall, Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions still consider approval plans to be efficient and cost effective. Survey results include: (1) the percentage…