The State of America's Libraries 2013 - a report issued April, 2013 by the American Library Association. Libraries continue to provide resources as their budgets are being reduced. They are also meeting challenges to books, and are advocating free access to digital resources.
Remodeling Literacy Learning - a report from the National Center for Literacy Education which was issued on March 19, 2013. The report shows that the components for literacy education are in place, but more time for planning is needed. School librarians play a critical role in literacy education through their collaboration with colleagues and through the professional development which they conduct.
Teens and Technology 2013 - A survey by the Pew Research Center released March 13, 2013. Teens are increasingly accessing the internet from mobile devices, and one in four access the internet only from their smart phone.
Library Services in the Digital Age - From the Pew Internet and American Life Project, Jan. 22, 2013. Americans want their public libraries to have both books and technology. 85% of Americans over 16 want the public library to coordinate more closely with public schools. 91% of Americans find public libraries important to both them and their families.
Public Libraries in the United States - A report issued on Jan. 22, 2013 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Use of libraries is up although funding is down. Public libraries are circulating more books, offering more technology and more programs.
How Teens Do Research in a Digital World - A study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, November, 2012. The majority of teachers surveyed believe that the Internet is creating a generation of easily distracted students with short attention spans.
What Kids Are Reading 2012 - 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.
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, Fall, 2011.
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.
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.
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 2012. 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.
Haves, Halves, and Have-Nots: School Libraries and Student Achievement in California - This is a doctoral dissertation by Doug Achterman, 2008. "This descriptive, non-experimental study examines the strength of the relationship between California school library media programs and student achievement, using data from California criterion-referenced state-wide tests, publicly available school and community demographic data, and a state survey of school library programs.".
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 - This is the executive summary of the Florida Media Study conducted in 2002/2003. This is a pdf file.
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.
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.
Latest Study: A full-time school librarian makes a critical difference in boosting student achievement - In the 2012 - 2013 school year, only 17% of Philadelphia Public Schools have a professional librarian. In Pittsburgh, only 27% of schools have a full time librarian. A study was conducted of Pennsylvania School libraries in 2011 and the conclusion was "Of all the factors examined in this study, the one with the most impact on students is the presence of a full-time certified librarian in the school library". This is an article by Debra E. Kachel and Keith Curry Lance in School Library Journal, March, 2013
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.