Fast Facts

Closer Look Studies

Big Facts Quotable Facts

No open surveys at this time

The Library Research Service generates library statistics and research for library and education professionals, public officials, and the media. LRS reports and analyzes statistics on school, public, and academic libraries, and conducts studies on major library issues that are reported in the Fast Facts and Closer Look series. Topics of continuing interest to the LRS and its clients are the impact of school librarians on student achievement, public libraries and the use of web technologies, and the changing library workforce.

LRS is a unit of the Colorado State Library, which is an office of the Colorado Department of Education. Additionally, LRS works in partnership with the University of Denver Library, Morgridge College of Education, Library and Information Science Program to offer research fellowships to current MLIS students.

Contact the Library Research Service

LRS partners with the University of Denver, Morgridge College of Education Library and Information Science Program to provide Research Fellowships to current LIS students

LRS is part of the Colorado State Library

The Colorado State Library is a unit of the Colorado Department of Education

This project is made possible in part by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

School Library Totals

2011 - 2012 School Library State Totals

Services per Typical Week
School Level / Enrollment Range	Individual Visits to the Library	Group Visits to the Library	Use of E-books and other downloadables	Use of non-electronic items	ILLs Loaned Within District	ILLs Loaned Outside District	ILLs Borrowed Within District	ILLs Received Outside District
Colorado (N=1514, n=686)	679,148	31,355	14,482	1,612,341	9,344	743	7,457	4,462
Elementary (N=823, n=344)	209,163	17,567	3,573	1,127,815	5,421	574	4,018	3,105
Middle (N=227, n=130)	76,753	4,345	1,750	203,812	1,493	40	1,911	420
High (N=209, n=113)	276,433	5,071	7,258	126,351	1,358	48	673	279
Combined (N=247, n=96)	67,409	4,091	347	187,006	959	121	596	846
Over 2,000 (N=14, n=9)	39,181	530	1,457	4,242	106	0	87	0
1,000-1,999 (N=110, n=77)	172,940	3,421	2,957	119,002	911	4	488	86
700-999 (N=107, n=60)	43,557	3,127	1,054	135,292	582	5	580	176
500-699 (N=340, n=151)	125,658	7,607	3,717	686,619	3,546	191	2,232	1,620
300-499 (N=500, n=222)	113,200	9,194	2,214	379,753	2,491	383	2,351	443
Under 300 (N=311, n=134)	52,205	3,881	348	116,902	935	158	1,141	2,086

Computer Access
School Level / Enrollment Range	Computers in Library	Computers Elsewhere in the School	Total School Computers
Colorado (N=1514, n=686)	68,981	223,760	292,737
Elementary (N=823, n=344)	26,680	65,735	92,409
Middle (N=227, n=130)	13,888	40,913	54,801
High (N=209, n=113)	16,543	76,784	93,327
Combined (N=247, n=96)	8,131	22,773	30,904
Over 2,000 (N=14, n=9)	1,527	11,767	13,294
1,000-1,999 (N=110, n=77)	10,356	43,830	54,186
700-999 (N=107, n=60)	7,020	20,634	27,654
500-699 (N=340, n=151)	14,218	48,845	63,063
300-499 (N=500, n=222)	17,075	42,199	59,270
Under 300 (N=311, n=134)	8,960	19,094	28,053

Collection
School Level / Enrollment Range	Print Volumes	Number of Electronic Books	Print Periodical Subscriptions	Audio Materials	Video Materials
Colorado (N=1514, n=686)	13,333,807	49,387	18,571	100,716	358,051
Elementary (N=823, n=344)	7,286,835	17,911	7,920	48,049	135,391
Middle (N=227, n=130)	1,884,260	6,052	2,874	13,291	49,268
High (N=209, n=113)	2,124,244	19,223	4,473	20,037	99,221
Combined (N=247, n=96)	1,934,059	2,580	2,557	18,101	59,699
Over 2,000 (N=14, n=9)	216,470	6,310	435	1,468	6,371
1,000-1,999 (N=110, n=77)	1,158,486	7,698	2,136	9,306	48,275
700-999 (N=107, n=60)	943,987	1,506	1,264	6,743	26,157
500-699 (N=340, n=151)	3,690,367	10,778	5,846	25,902	95,252
300-499 (N=500, n=222)	4,028,279	12,263	3,947	30,166	96,795
Under 300 (N=311, n=134)	2,205,366	3,461	3,257	20,272	50,933

School Library Expenditures
School Level / Enrollment Range	Operating Budget From School/District	Total Operating Budget	Budget From Additional Funding Sources	Information Resources Budget
Colorado (N=1514, n=686)	$6,204,009	$8,399,589	$2,195,580	$5,602,739
Elementary (N=823, n=344)	$1,711,763	$3,173,588	$1,461,824	$1,796,018
Middle (N=227, n=130)	$1,071,025	$1,304,385	$233,361	$779,751
High (N=209, n=113)	$2,114,330	$2,277,726	$163,396	$1,923,737
Combined (N=247, n=96)	$855,245	$1,265,576	$410,331	$765,665
Over 2,000 (N=14, n=9)	$354,000	$372,494	$18,494	$296,773
1,000-1,999 (N=110, n=77)	$1,150,604	$1,256,389	$105,786	$877,189
700-999 (N=107, n=60)	$526,714	$645,013	$118,299	$400,808
500-699 (N=340, n=151)	$1,114,904	$1,813,714	$698,810	$1,418,753
300-499 (N=500, n=222)	$1,386,592	$2,088,623	$702,032	$1,160,721
Under 300 (N=311, n=134)	$621,382	$984,309	$362,927	$567,272