The report presents data and commentary about the
library role in textbook provision from a survey of 84 high level academic
library executives drawn from 53 colleges and universities, primarily from the
USA. The study gives highly detailed
data on the extent of the library role in textbook provision, opinions of the
likely growth or retraction of the library role, as well as the library role in
open access textbooks and textbook substitutes.
The study also gives precise data on the exact sums that libraries are
spending on textbooks and how many enjoy special funding from college
administrations or academic departments for print, digital commercial or open
access textbooks.
About half of the sample are library directors and the rest
are predominantly deans and university librarians and their immediate associate
or assistant officers, as well as major department heads and directors. Data in the report is broken out by many
criteria including work title, age, salary level, gender and academic
background of the survey participant, as well as Carnegie class, tuition,
enrollment size, regional location and public/private status of the survey
participants’ college or university.
Just a few of the report’s many findings are that:
There were substantial differences
between public colleges and universities versus private ones. Almost three times more public colleges and
universities than private ones reported that the library was involved in textbook
acquisition for students.
Not a single research university in the sample expected that
the library role in textbook provision would be reduced in the near future.
12.5% of junior college libraries sampled were receiving
special disbursements from the college administration in order to more easily
afford to provide textbooks.
A PDF version of this 50-page report is currently available
from Primary Research Group and a print version at the same price will be
available for shipment on December 21st 2018 and can be ordered now. Site licenses are also available. For a table of contents, excerpt and list of
the institutional work affiliations of the survey participants view the product
page for this report on our website at:
https://www.primaryresearch.com/AddCart.aspx?ReportID=531