David Schwieder, University of Florida,
dschwieder@uflib.ufl.edu
&
Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, ljanicke@illinois.edu
Research Question

How do a variety of key
academic library variables affect
two key campus-wide outcomes:
graduation and year-to-year
retention rates for
undergraduate students?
NCES Datasets

Academic Libraries
Survey (ALS)
Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System
(IPEDS)
“produces descriptive statistics
on about 3,700 academic
libraries in the 50 states and the
District of Columbia” biannually (even years)
“system of interrelated surveys
conducted annually … gathers
information from every college,
university, and technical and
vocational institution that
participates in the federal
student financial aid program”
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/li
braries/academic.asp
http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/
Staff/Student Ratio &
Retention and Graduation Rates

 2005-2006 data
 analysis focused exclusively on 99 U.S. colleges and
universities belonging to the Association of Research
Libraries
 conducted a linear regression analysis which found a
positive association between the library
professional staff/student ratio and institutional
retention and graduation rates
Marks Emmons and Frances C. Wilkinson, “The Academic Library Impact on Student
Persistence,” College & Research Libraries 72, no. 2 (March 2011): 128 –149.
Expenditures and Professional
Staff & Retention

 2002-2003 data; 586 institutions
 found statistical relationships between each
category of library expenditure and student
retention within every Carnegie Classification and
“strongest relationships exist between total library
expenditures, total library materials expenditures,
and serial expenditures at baccalaureate colleges”
 relationship between professional staff and student
retention strongest at doctoral-granting institutions
Elizabeth M. Mezick, “Return on Investment: Libraries and Student Retention,”
The Journal of Academic Librarianship 33, no. 5 (September 2007): 561–566.
Current Study: Design

Independent Variables
Library Factors
 Book Expenditures
 Serial Expenditures
 Audio-Visual Expenditures
 Library Hours
 Gate Count
 General Circulation
 Reference Transactions
 Electronic Reference Service
 Attendance at Library Sessions
 Information Literacy Implementation
Institutional Factors
 Instructional Expenditures
 Academic Support Expenditures
 Student Services Expenditures
Dependent Variables
Educational Outcomes
 Graduation Rates
 Year-to-Year Retention Rates
Current Study: Method

 Probit Analysis
 Focus on Middle 50% (25th-75th Percentiles)
 By Institution Type
 Four Year Public
 Four Year Private
 Two Year
Current Study: Results

Library Effects on Graduation and Retention Rates:
Four-Year Public Universities
Differences between Schools at the 25th and 75th Percentiles

Ind. Variable
Graduation Rates
Retention: 2007-2008
Book Expenditures
---
---
Serial Expenditures
7.56
2.95
AV Material Expenditures
-1.31
-.79
Library Hours
5.12
2.27
Gate Count
1.49
1.99
General Circulation
4.48
1.2
Reference Transactions
.08
-.11
E-Reference Services (Yes/No)
---
2.78
Attendance at Library Presentations
1.07
---
Information Literacy Index
1.64
1.35
Instruction Expenditures
-1.58
4.02
Academic Support Expenditures
.44
---
Student Services Expenditures
2.04
---
Library Effects on Graduation and Retention Rates:
Four-Year Private Universities
Differences between Schools at the 25th and 75th Percentiles

Ind. Variable
Graduation Rates
Retention: 2007-2008
Book Expenditures
---
---
Serial Expenditures
4.3
2.51
AV Material Expenditures
---
---
Library Hours
6.14
4.68
Gate Count
.81
.59
General Circulation
1.4
.29
Reference Transactions
-.44
---
E-Reference Services (Yes/No)
-2.55
---
Attendance at Library Presentations
.1
---
Information Literacy Index
-1.04
---
Instruction Expenditures
4.72
4.93
Academic Support Expenditures
1.32
.78
Student Services Expenditures
-.68
-1.28
Library Effects on Graduation and Retention Rates:
Two-Year Community Colleges
Differences between Schools at the 25th and 75th Percentiles

Ind. Variable
Graduation Rates
Retention: 2007-2008
Book Expenditures
-.25
---
Serial Expenditures
-.5
-.65
AV Material Expenditures
1.03
---
Library Hours
-2.62
---
Gate Count
---
-.38
General Circulation
-.21
---
Reference Transactions
-.45
-.32
E-Reference Services (Yes/No)
---
---
Attendance at Library Presentations
---
---
Information Literacy Index
-1.08
---
Instruction Expenditures
3.08
1.29
Academic Support Expenditures
-1.58
-1.05
Student Services Expenditures
1.07
-.74
Summary of Findings

 At four-year colleges and universities, certain library
variables show identifiable associations with
graduation and retention rates. Especially:
 Library Hours
 Library Serial Expenditures
 Library impacts are generally are stronger on
graduation rates than year-to-year retention rates
 Library impacts are generally stronger at public
universities than at private
Future Research

 Extend the range of analysis to additional years
 Refine data collection, possibly with “experimental
survey” design
 More detailed reporting of library variables
 Additional variables
 Library
 Institutional
 Develop systematic data analysis tools and
management systems
Questions? Comments?

Thank You