All Libraries
ELI: Every Library in ILLINET http://www.eli2.org/ In its infancy, this web interface provided by the Secretary of State and Illinois State Library supplies access to directory and statistical information on Illinois libraries. Check often as ELI will be updated frequently.
U.S. Census Bureau http://www.census.gov Demographic information from Census 2000 is available here. American FactFinder is especially useful, as are detailed tables.
ALA Office for Research Statistics http://www.ala.org/ala/ors/researchstatistics.htm Click on 'reports' to find the latest survey information and findings. Click on 'statistics' to find just that.
National Center for Education Statistics http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/ http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/getpubcats.asp?sid=041 Both of these sections of the National Center for Education Statistics Websites are valuable to libraries of all types.
Library Research Service, Colorado Department of Education http://www.lrs.org This site has a wealth of information for libraries of all types. Explore the entire site! The planning resources at the bottom of the page under tools might be of particular interest, as might the Counting on Results project.
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Academic Libraries
NCES - Academic Library Peer Comparison Tool http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/compare/index.asp?LibraryType=Academic
This tool allows the user to request information on a particular library, or to customize a peer group by selecting the key variables that are used to define it. The user can then view customized reports of the comparison between the library of interest and its peers, on a variety of variables as selected by the user. Since 1988, the Academic Library Survey has been a component of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and is collected on a two-year cycle. The survey collects data on the libraries in the entire universe of accredited institutions of higher education and on the libraries in non-accredited institutions with a program of four years or more.
NCES - Academic Libraries: 2008 http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010348
The Academic Libraries: 2008 First Look summarizes services, staff, collections, and expenditures of academic libraries in 2- and 4-year, degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Association of College and Research Libraries http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/trends/index.cfm
Includes statistical summaries from over 1,300 institutions. A members-only section allows access to the complete data set.
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Public Libraries
Illinois Public Library Statistics http://www.eliillinois.org/iplar/ Access statistical summaries and data about the public libraries in Illinois since Fiscal Year 1995 - 1996. Data is gathered from the Illinois Public Library Annual Report (IPLAR).
IMLS Public Library Statistics Data and Publications http://harvester.census.gov/imls/publib.asp
IMLS (and formerly NCES) collect statistics from more than 9,000 public libraries in the United State and territories. Data are available for individual public libraries and are also aggregated to state and national levels. Information included on IMLS site includes:
- Publications
- Data Files
- Search for Public Libraries
- Compare Public Libraries
Urban Libraries Council http://www.urbanlibraries.org
Click on their research page to find Fast Facts Surveys, Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development, Impact of Internet on Public Library Use, and more.
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School Libraries
Illinois State Board of Education http://wwww.isbe.state.il.us Click on 'Illinois School Facts' to discover a wealth of interesting information from statewide analysis to individual school report cards. Of special interest might be The 2000 Educator Supply and Demand Report which includes information on media specialists in Illinois schoold (try a 'find' search using the term media to locate the references to such).
Common Core of Data (CCD) http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/ A program of the U.S Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, is a comprehensive, annual, national statistical database of information concerning all public elementary and secondary schools (approximately 91,000) and school districts (approximately 16,000).
Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS)
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/
SASS is a nationally representative sample survey of public, private, and Bureau of Indian Education-funded (BIE) K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The SASS survey system collects data on teacher demand and shortage, teacher and administrator characteristics, school programs, and general conditions in schools. SASS also collects data on many other topics, including principals' and teachers' perceptions of school climate and problems in their schools; teacher compensation; district hiring practices, basic characteristics of the student population, and elementary and secondary school library media centers in the United States.
Library Media Centers Survey (SASS)
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009322
This report presents selected findings from the library media center data files of the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS).
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Special Libraries
Special Libraries Association http://www.sla.org/
While salary survey information is available to all, access to in-depth research surveys and projects are for members-only.
IMLS State Library Agencies (StLA) Survey
http://harvester.census.gov/imls/sta_survdesign.asp
The State Library Agencies (StLA) Survey provides information about the state library agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data on StLAs complement data collected on public, academic, and school libraries. Information included on the IMLS site includes:
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Journals
American Libraries The monthly journal can be of tremendous use.
Library Journal This bi-monthly journal has plenty of information to seek out.
School Library Journal A wealth of information is at your fingertips with this monthly periodical. Each March issue includes SLJ's Average Book Prices. Their website is quite useful too! http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Published Reports
National Center for Education Statistics http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/index.asp Many reports for all types of libraries are available.
Public Library Data Service Statistical Reports http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/pla/plapublications/pldsstatreport/index.cfm Published annually, the PLDS report presents exclusive, timely data from more than 800 public libraries across the United States and Canada on finances, library resources, annual use figures, and technology.
Library Salaries and Outlook http://www.ala.org/ala/educationcareers/employment/salaries/index.cfm
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In-House Collection Tools
Bertot, John Carlo, McClure, Charles R., and Ryan, Joe. 2001. Statistics and Performance Measures for Public Library Networked Services. Chicago: American Library Association.
Nelson, Sandra, Altman, Ellen, and Mayo, Diane. 2000. Managing for Results: Effective resource allocation for public libraries. Chicago: American Library Association.
Nelson, Sandra. 2001. The New Plannig for Results: A streamlined approach. Chicago: American Library Association.
Van House, Nancy A., Lynch, Mary Jo, McClure, Charles R., Zweizig, Douglas l., and Rodger, Eleanor Jo. 1987. Output Measures for Public Libraries: A manual of standardized procedures. 2nd ed. Chicago: American Library Association.
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