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 yearsMany 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– 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”• Providing Quality Learning Spaces

– Info Commons– Learning support services – Advising, writing, tutoring, etc– More comfortable sating, task lighting, drink policy, etc.

• Creating Metadata– More formats and types of resources– Portals and tools (Blackboard, bookmarklets)

• Offering Virtual Reference Services– IM, email, virtual ref

• Teaching Information Literacy– Incorporated into Library Instruction

• Choosing Resources and Managing Resource Licenses– Carolina Consortium, NC LIVE, ejournals

• Collecting and Digitizing Archived Material– Womens’ Vets, Civil Rights, etc.

• Maintaining Digital Repositories– IR

The next dozen years

?