Re-Visioning / Strategic
Planning Task Force
Forum 1
Trends and Statistics
Are libraries really changing that
much?
Let’s look and see how libraries have
changed over the past dozen years.
PC’s in the Library
• National, June 1994
– Library catalogs accessed mostly through
dumb terminals. Some libraries have single
purpose PC’s in a few locations.
• National, June 2006
– Every library has many PC’s scattered around
the building, performing many functions
PC’s in the Library
• UNCG, June 1994
– 8 PC’s for CD-ROM database use only
– 2 in Documents for GovDocs use only
• UNCG, June 2006
– 93 PC’s that do email, catalog search, web
search, databases, ebooks, ereserves, etc
– 140 PC’s in the Superlab that offer access to
additional applications
The Web
• National, June 1994
– Web is virtually unknown
– Netscape Navigator introduced April 1994
– Few libraries have web sites or even recognize the
web as a viable medium
• National, June 2006
– Libraries as we know them can not function without
the web
– For many students the web (and not the Library) is
the first choice and first stop when looking for
information
The Web
• UNCG, June 1994
– Almost no one in the Library had heard of the web
• UNCG, June 2006
– Many library resources and services are web
accessible.
– The OPAC is web based.
– The Library support web pages for academic units
across campus
– 60% of UNCG respondents use Google or Yahoo
daily. 20% use library web resources daily. (1993
LibQual)
Remote Access
• National, June 1994
– For most libraries, the only resource available
outside the building is the library catalog
• National, June 2006
– Most users assume that almost everything is
remotely accessible
Remote Access
• UNCG, June 1994
– Catalog only
– Very small percentage of total use was
remote
• UNCG, June 2006
– ebooks, ejournals, databases, finding aids,
digital libraries, online renewals, reference
questions, etc.
– 83% of database and web use is from outside
the library
Journals
• National, June 1994
– Only a few experimental ejournals were available
– Getting an article is a hassle
• National, June 2006
– Most libraries have shrunk their print subscriptions
and greatly expanded electronic access
– Many steps for obtaining an article are eliminated and
simplified because of online full text and link resolvers
Journals
• UNCG, June 1994
– About 5000 print subscriptions
– No ejournal subscriptions or full text
– Printed serials list
• UNCG, June 2006
– About 4200 current print subscriptions
– 28,884 ejournals
– Journal Finder used at thirty schools
Books
• National, June 1994
– Only a few experimental ebooks were available
– Libraries associated primarily with printed books.
– Circulation has been climbing steadily for years.
• National, June 2006
– Most libraries have ebooks
– Total circulation of print materials is static or declining
at most academic libraries. ARL’s down 1% total and
12% initial circ, 1991-2004.
Books
• UNCG, June 1994
– No ebooks
– Total recorded print circulation 388,859 for
93/94
• UNCG, June 2006
– About 400,000 ebooks
– Total recorded print circulation 228,428 for
02/03
Reserves
• National, June 1994
– Paper only
– No remote access
• National, June 2006
– Nearly exclusively electronic
– Linked from syllabi and other class related
sites
Reserves
• UNCG, June 1994
– Paper only
– No remote access
– 55,765 uses in 93/94
• UNCG, June 2006
– Nearly exclusively electronic
– Linked from Blackboard and other class
related sites
– 109,902 uses in 02/03
Public Service Questions
• National, June 1994
– Primary point of interaction between user and a wide
range of library services and resources
– Usage had climbed fairly steadily for years
• National, June 2006
– Replaced by the web as the primary point of
interaction between users and a wide range of library
– In most academic libraries there has been a moderate
to significant decline in public service questions.
Reference transactions down 34% at ARL’s from
1991-2004.
Public Service Questions
• UNCG, June 1994
– 4 major service points
– 112,722 questions in 93/94
– No virtual services
• National, June 2006
– 2 major service points
– 63,031 questions in 04/05
– Multiple virtual services
Catalog
• National, June 1994
– By far the most popular resource in most
libraries.
– Does not include e-resources
• National, June 2006
– One of many electronic resources and
services. Ejournals, computer labs,
databases, and other resources may rival it in
popularity.
– Includes a wider range of formats.
Catalog
• UNCG, June 1994
– OPAC runs on VT. Not linked to other resources.
• UNCG, June 2006
– OPAC accessed via web browser. Links to web,
Journal Finder, book reviews, etc.
– Includes a wider range of formats.
– One of several popular electronic services.
– Some tech services processes automated (EDI).
Patrons
• UNCG and Nationally, June 1994
– Mostly willing to come to the Library physically
– Will deal with difficult library environments because
there is no viable alternative
• UNCG and Nationally, June 2006
– Prefer to work online and not visit the library
– Want to be empowered; don’t want to have to ask
questions
– Expect immediate response/access
– Prefer Google to the Library
The next dozen years
Many of the changes we have seen over the past dozen years will
continue and some will accelerate. We will also see many additional
issues, including
– an increased emphasis on DE
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wireless
laptop requirement
further improvements to Web searching
huge, free book repositories online (GooglePrint)
free and Open Access journals
institutional repositories
emphasis on collaborative projects
ebook hardware improvements
portable devices (MP3, cell phones, Blackberries, etc)
content, not containers
– significant retirements
The Strategic Planning Task Force
• What does the library need to do in order
to adjust to all of these changes?
• As demands for services, content, and
formats change, should we be changing
the way library resources are allocated?
• If some traditional library services are in
decline, should we be looking for ways to
expand our roles in order to stay relevant?
Reading Statistics
• Look for multiyear trends, not one year
anomalies
• Statistics rarely tell the whole story
• Look for correlations between local and national
trends
• Apples and oranges (Ex. Search vs. session)
• Percentages and absolute numbers
• Departments are multi-functional; no one should
be judged by any single statistic
UNCG Statistics
• What’s available?
• What else do we need?
Some National Statistics
• ARL Public Service Statistics
• UVA Stats
• ASERL Stats (no time series)
“Changing a Cultural Icon”
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Providing Quality Learning Spaces
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Info Commons
Learning support services – Advising, writing, tutoring, etc
More comfortable sating, task lighting, drink policy, etc.
Creating Metadata
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More formats and types of resources
Portals and tools (Blackboard, bookmarklets)
Offering Virtual Reference Services
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IM, email, virtual ref
Teaching Information Literacy
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Incorporated into Library Instruction
Choosing Resources and Managing Resource Licenses
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Carolina Consortium, NC LIVE, ejournals
Collecting and Digitizing Archived Material
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Womens’ Vets, Civil Rights, etc.
Maintaining Digital Repositories
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IR
The next dozen years
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