Primary Research Group has published The Survey of Academic Library
Cataloging Practices, 2011-12 Edition ISBN 157440-178-5.
The study looks closely at how academic libraries deploy their cataloging
personnel, how they use librarians and how they use cataloging technicians,
and how large are cataloging and technical services departments. It helps
library administrators to answer questions such as: What kind of work is
performed by librarians and paraprofessionals in different types or
organizations? How much is outsourced? How are special collections handled?
Are cataloging staff’s growing or shrinking? How does administration assess
work quality? What are considered reasonable measures or excellence? To what
extent is cataloging of eBooks or AV materials outsourced and how does this
compare to other types of materials?
Just a few of this 160-page report’s many findings are that:
• Copy cataloging was routinely performed by paraprofessionals in 81.43% of
libraries in the sample, and by librarians in 58.57% of them.
• Master bibliographic record enhancement in OCLC was performed by
paraprofessional support staff in 30% of academic libraries, and by
professional librarians in 75.71% of academic libraries.
• On average, the libraries in the sample anticipated the retirement of 0.50
professional librarians performing cataloging functions within the next five
years, with community colleges anticipating the fewest, a mean of 0.10.
• 28.57% of private colleges and 17.95% of public colleges considered
turn-around time very useful as an indicator of cataloging work quality,
including 33.33% of community colleges and 25% of 4-year degree granting
programs.
• 45.71% of academic libraries outsourced authority control in the form of
obtaining new and updated authority records. This outsourcing occurred most
often in private colleges and in higher level academic institutions, as in
level 1 and level 2 Carnegie Class research universities, 73.33% of which
had outsourced this work.
Data is broken out by type and size of academic library; approximately 75
libraries participated; a participant list is reproduced below. For further
information view our website at www.PrimaryResearch.com, or call us at
212-736-2316.
Participants
Arizona State University
Athens State University Library
Auburn University Libraries
Augusta State University
Barry University School of Law Library
Brock University
Calvin College
CCBC
City University of Seattle, Library Services
Clark University
Clemson University
Colgate University
Colorado Christian University
Eckerd College
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Furman University
Geneva College - McCartney Library
Georgetown College, Ensor Learning Resource Center
Georgetown University Library
Greenfield Community College
Haverford College
John Abbott College
Joint Forces Staff College
Kingston University
LaGrange College
Lane Library -- Ripon College
Lehigh University
Lehigh University Libraries
Lincoln University (PA)
Merced College
Messiah College
Michigan State University
Mohawk Valley Community College
Motlow State Community College
Mount Saint Mary College
Nassau Community College
Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, University of South Florida St. Petersburg
North Carolina State University Libraries
Northern Michigan University Olson Library
Northwest University
Ohio University Libraries
Paris Junior College
Paul Meek Library, University of Tennessee at Martin
Pellissippi State Community College
Penn State Libraries
Radford University-McConnell Library
Regent University
Robert Morris University
Saint Louis University Law Library
Saint Mary's College
Simpson College
Stanly Community College
Syracuse University Library
Texas State University-San Marcos
The University of Findlay
Univ. of NV, Las Vegas Libraries
University of Central Arkansas
University of Denver
University of Mississippi Libraries
University of Missouri-Kansas City
University of New Mexico
University of Northern Iowa
University of Pittsburgh, Health Sciences Library System
University of South Alabama
University of West Georgia
Wayne State College
Wayne State University
Western Washington University
William & Mary
Received on Mon Aug 15 2011 - 15:04:56 EDT