Are US Students Ready to Compete ? - A study comparing the proficiency of US students with those in the rest of the world. Thirty one per cent of US students are proficient in reading, and the US ranks 17th among the 65 countries that participated. This study is by Paul E. Peterson, Carlos Xabel Lastra-Anadon, Eric A. Hanushek and Ludger Woessmann.
Librarians in the U.S. from 1880-2009 - Based on US census data. There is information on the number of librarians, salaries, age, and more. This is from the Oxford University Press blog, June 20, 2011.
Public Libraries Survey, Fiscal Year 2008 - Published in June, 2010. This is a fact filled survey of the use of and the materials in public libraries of the US. It was conducted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Always Connected: The New Digital Media Habits of Young Children - By The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, 2011. This paper is a synthesis of 7 previous studies. It finds that children under age 11 are using more media with television being most used, that media access may be restricted by family income, and that use of media is greatest by Hispanic and African-American children.
What Kids Are Reading 2010 - This is a study done by Renaissance Learning (the producer of Accelerated Reader) on the most popular books read by students in grades 1 - 12. There are also some essays by authors, and some studies of individual schools. This is a pdf document.
The Condition of Education, 2010 - Many downloading options are presented here, but you may want to start with the Bowse the Condition of Education option. There are many statistics on elementary and secondary students. There is also a section on the reading habits of adults.
How Libraries Stack Up: 2010 - A report on the social, cultural and economic impact of libraries on American life by OCLC.
2010 Kids and Family Reading Report - Conducted by Scholastic and Yankelovich. Kids prefer to go online to find fun activities rather than reading for fun. They would also like to read e-books.
Global Library Statistics - "These statistics that represent the total global library universe include data, if available, for the total number of libraries, librarians, volumes, expenditures, and users for every country and territory in the world broken down into the major library types: academic, public, school, special and national." This site is by OCLC.
Digitally Inclined - A study by PBS of teacher's increasing use of digital media in the classroom. This was conducted in 2009.
The Nation's Report Card on Reading 2009 - This study released in 2010 shows that 8th grade reading scores have risen, but that 4th skills have remained the same as in 2007.
Basic Reading Skills and the Literacy of the America's Least Literate Adults - This study released in May, 2009 finds that 14 per cent of the US adults age 16 and over have trouble with basic reading and writing. This study "presents new analyses from a nationally representative survey conducted in 2003 by the US Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)".
Reading on the Rise - A new study by the NEA and reported on Jan. 12, 2009 shows that the amount of adult reading of literature has increased for the first time in 25 years. The greatest increase was in the amount of reading done by young adults (ages 18 - 24 years of age). There was a very marked increase in the amount of reading by Hispanics and African Americans.
Still at Risk: What Students Don't Know Even Now - A Common
Core report by Frederick M. Hess on the pathetically poor knowledge of history and literature of 17 year old students in the US. This study was done in 2008.
The ILMS Study of Libraries, Museums and the Internet - February, 2008. This study finds the amount of use of the Internet is positively correlated with the number of in-person visits to museums and has a positive effect on in-person visits to public
libraries. This study is in pdf format.
The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2007 - This study of 4th and 8th graders shows that gains are being made, but that the gap between minority and white students was not closing. Girls are still reading better than boys.
To Read or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence - The NEA study of American reading which was released in November of 2007. The study finds that Americans are reading less and that reading skills are declining. This study is must reading for librarians.
State and County Estimates of Low Literacy - Determine the per cent of adults with low literacy in an area or compare two states or counties. By the IES Institute of Educational Statistics.
Leaders and Laggards - A state by state report card on educational effectiveness by the U.S.Chamber of Commerce.
School Libraries Count - The final reports on the AASL surveys of school libraries in the years from 2007 to 2011. The full reports may be viewed online or downloaded in pdf format.
School Library Research Summarized: A Graduate Class Project - An analysis of 21 state school library statistics studies. This summary was written by Debra E. Kachel and her graduate students at Mansfield State University, Spring, 2011. This is a pdf document.
SLJ Spending Survey 2011 - This survey finds that "as the economy limps along and federal dollars dwindle, school librarians are turning into resourceful survivors". This article is from School Library Journal, March, 2011.
Average Book Prices 2010 - Better Data, Better Libraries: Statistics are more Important Than Ever. An article in School Library Journal, March, 2011.
The SLJ School Library Spending Survey - by Leslie Farmer and Marilyn Shontz, April 1, 2009. This is a survey of expenditures, salaries, collection size, and technology use.
Second Evaluation of the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program - by the Department of Education, 2009. This is a study of the effect of grant money from the No Child Left Behind program on recipients of these grants. The findings show that the grantees improved their collections and increased the number of hours the library was open to students. There is no clear effect on student achievement. This report is in the pdf form.
Distribution of School Librarians in Colorado - The number of school librarians in Colorado has risen, but the increase is greater in metropolitan areas than in non-metropolitan areas. This study was done in 2008. It is in pdf format.
The Florida Media Study - These are highlights
of the Florida Media Study conducted in 2002/2003.
The Status of School Library Programs in Illinois by Lou Ann Jacobs. This is a snapshot of the results in a special issue of Illinois Libraries, Fall, 2006. This issue is dedicated to school libraries and is in pdf format.
MCAS and School Libraries: Making the Connection - The Simmons study by James C. Baughman and Mary Eldringhoff, 2000, of the impact of school libraries upon student achievement on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment test scores. Available in pdf format.
The New Jersey School Library Survey - July, 2010. This report is by Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL),School of Communication and
Information, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey This is a pdf document.
Syracuse University Study of 4th Graders in New York - This study by Ruth Small and students at the Center for Digital Literacy shows that 4th grade students in schools with school librarians score significantly higher on the English Language Arts test than
do students in schools with no librarians.
13,000 Kids Can't be Wrong - This article by Debra Lau Whelan in School Library Journal, Feb., 2004, reports on the study Student Learning Through Ohio School Libraries which was conducted by Ross Todd and Carolyn Kuhlthau. The study involved 13,000 students in grades 3 through 12, and found that 99.4 per cent of the students believed that school libraries helped them to become better learners.
Texas Voters Love School and Public Libraries - A study by the Texas Library Association found that Texas voters value school and public libraries, and support increased funding for them. 2009
Wisconsin 2006 Library Media Study - by the Department of Public Instruction. This study shows the number of certified school library media specialists employed by school districts is declining.
School Library Impact Studies- Conducted by
Library Research Services. Results are in pdf format and include studies in Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, and New Mexico,
School Libraries and Students Achievement in Ontario - A study by the Queen's University and People for Education for the Ontario Library Association, April, 2006. The results show that the presence of a school librarian increased 3rd and 6th graders' enjoyment of reading and also their reading test scores.
Library Statistics Program - of the Institute of Educational Statistics which
is part of the US Department of Education. There are statistical studies of many types of libraries.
Library Statistics - International library
statistics, and links to other statistical information. By the International Federation of Library Associations.
Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources, 2005 -
a worldwide study conducted by OCLC. The overall conclusion of this study is that people view libraries as a place to obtain books while electronic resources are frequently overlooked. The study is available in pdf format.
This site is maintained by Linda Bertland, retired school librarian,
Philadelphia, PA. Please address any comments, additions, or corrections to info@sldirectory.com.
Up to top