This document summarizes the key findings from the 2013 Ithaka S+R Library Survey. The survey collected responses from 499 library directors and deans from US higher education institutions. It addressed topics like the changing roles and priorities of libraries, strategies for meeting user needs, collection formats and discovery, and the library's role in teaching and developing student research skills. Some of the main findings included the importance of information literacy instruction, reliance on collaborative relationships and interlibrary loan due to declining local print collections, and a strong interest in electronic journals and books while maintaining discovery as a starting point for users.

1. What is The Role of the Librarian in an Open Access
World?
Wednesday, October 23 2013
2pm EST

3. Ithaka S+R
US Library Survey 2013
Roger C. Schonfeld
March 11, 2014

4. 1. Background and methodology
2. Strategy and Leadership
3. Formats and Collections
4. Discovery
5. Undergraduate Teaching and Information Literacy
Lots more in the report!
Outline of Today’s Presentation

5. The Ithaka S+R Faculty Survey has been run triennially for five cycles (2000,
2003, 2006, 2009, 2012).
The Ithaka S+R Library Survey has covered directors and deans triennially for
two cycles (2010, 2013).
Ithaka S+R’s Research Support Services program provides qualitative
measures:
• Supporting the Changing Research Practices of Historians
• Supporting the Changing Research Practices of Chemists
• Art history project currently in progress
Local Surveys of students, faculty members, and soon librarians, help colleges
and universities plan for and manage change.
Providing Evidence for Planning and Strategy

6. The Library Survey 2013: Advisory Committee
• Larry P. Alford, Chief Librarian, University of Toronto Libraries
• Joseph S. Meisel, Deputy Provost, Brown University
• Jenica P. Rogers, Director of Libraries, SUNY Potsdam
• Charles Thomas, Executive Director, University System of
Maryland and Affiliated Institutions

7. The Library Survey 2013: Sponsors

8. • Population included library deans and directors at US higher education
institutions granting a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• In October 2013, 1,508 library deans and directors were invited and
then reminded to participate via email
• By November, 499 responses were received
The Library Survey 2013: Methodology
Number of
Invitations
Number of
Responses
Response
Rate
Baccalaureate 612 186 30.4%
Master’s 620 190 30.6%
Doctoral 276 123 44.6%
Total 1508 499 33.1%

9. Strategy and Leadership

10. The survey included a question that Ithaka S+R asks in most surveys:
“How important is it to you that your college or university library provide each
of the functions below?”
Respondents rate the importance of six functions:
1. Buyer- “The library pays for resources faculty members need, from academic journals to
books to electronic resources.”
2. Archive- “The library serves as a repository of resources; in other words, it archives,
preserves, and keeps track of resources.”
3. Gateway- “The library serves as a starting point or ‘gateway’ for locating information for
faculty research.”
4. Research- “The library provides active support that helps increase the productivity of faculty
research and scholarship.”
5. Teaching- “The library supports and facilitates faculty teaching activities.”
6. Information Lit.- “The library helps undergraduates develop research, critical analysis, and
information literacy skills.”
“Role of the Library” Question

14. "I am considered by academic deans and other senior administrators to be a
member of my institution’s senior academic leadership." Percentage of
respondents who strongly agreed.

16. "My library has a well-developed strategy to meet changing user needs and
research habits.”

18. "What are the primary constraints on your ability to make desired changes in
your library? Please select up to three items that have the greatest impact at
your institution, or leave the question blank if none of the items apply.”

20. "If you received a 10% increase in your library’s budget next year in addition to
the funds you already expect to receive, in which of the following areas would
you allocate the money? Please check up to three areas that you would invest
in.”

23. Formats and Library Collections

24. “Library Functions” Question
The 2013 question included a question about the prioritization of library
functions:
“How much of a priority is each of the following functions in your library?”
Respondents rated their prioritization of 24 different types of library
services and functions.

26. "Building our local print collections is much less important than it was 5 years
ago.”

28. "My library increasingly relies on collaborative relationships with other libraries
to fulfill our users’ needs for materials.”

30. e-Books

31. "Electronic versions of scholarly monographs play an important role in the
research and teaching of faculty members at my institution.”

33. "Within the next five years, the use of e-books will be so prevalent among
faculty and students that it will not be necessary to maintain library collections
of hard copy books.”

35. "What percentage of your print book collection has your library de-accessioned
because you have access to those books in an electronic format?"

37. Journals

38. "Within the next five years, the use of online or digitized journals will be so
prevalent among faculty and students that it will not be necessary to maintain
library collections of hard-copy journals.”

40. "I am completely comfortable with journals my library subscribes to ceasing
their print versions and publishing in electronic-only form.”

42. Discovery

43. "It is strategically important that my library be seen by its users as the first
place they go to discover scholarly content.”

45. "My library is always the best place for researchers at my institution to start
their search for scholarly information.”

47. "To what extent do you think that your index-based discovery service has
made your users' discovery experience better or worse in each of the following
areas?”

49. Undergraduate Teaching and Information Literacy

50. "How much of a priority is each of the following functions in your library?“

52. 84%
of library
directors agree.
“Librarians at my college or university contribute significantly to student
learning by helping them to develop their research skills.”
45%
of faculty
members agree.

53. 87%
of library
directors agree.
Librarians at my college or university contribute significantly to student
learning by helping them to find, access, and make use of a range of
secondary and primary source in their coursework.
54%
of faculty
members agree.

54. 39%
of library
directors agree.
“Librarians at my institution are integrated into institution-wide processes of
curricular planning.”

55. Whose responsibility is it to “develop the skills of
undergraduate students related to locating and evaluating
scholarly information?”
• 72% of library directors said it was the library’s
responsibility, and 22% of faculty members said the
same.
• 22% of library directors said it was faculty members’
responsibility, and 44% of faculty members said the
same

56. "My library is fully prepared to support students who are enrolled in our
institution’s online classes." (Base: institutions with online course offerings.)

58. Conclusion
• Institution type diversity is substantial
• The information literacy role is important for all
• Relatively high levels of perceived alignment with direct supervisor
• At most half think they have a solid plan for the future
• Financial resources seen as biggest constraint in driving change
• Strong interest in being seen as the discovery starting point
• Ongoing interest in e-journals and e-books investments
• ILL is essential for all; print books are not a high priority and in
decline
• Among doctoral institutions, lots of interest in special collections

61. Thank you
Reports are available publicly at:
http://www.sr.ithaka.org/
Contact information:
rcs@ithaka.org
@rschon
212-500-2338