2019

Library Journal survey finds that public library circulation has dipped slightly (0.5%) for the first time since 1999

April 2019

Library Journal recently released the results of its annual materials survey tracking circulation statistics in public libraries nationwide. Materials circulation in public libraries decreased by half a percent (0.5%) in 2018, falling, though only slightly, for the first time since 1999. Two in 5 (40%) survey respondents reported that they saw their circulation decrease. Nearly […]

CUNY Open Education Resource program saves students $9.5 million on textbook costs

March 2019

In 2017, the City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) systems received funding to adopt Open Education Resources (OER) for many courses offered. This funding was awarded in response to librarian requests at both institutions and was adopted in 2,800 Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) courses impacting 76,000 students and […]

EdBuild finds a $23 billion funding gap between white and nonwhite school districts

March 2019

EdBuild, a research organization that promotes equity in public schools, recently released the results of their analysis of 2016 public school funding on the national and state levels. The purpose of the analysis was to examine this funding based on racial and socioeconomic characteristics. They found that, despite decades of desegregation efforts, more than half […]

United Kingdom anticipates 9 million lonely people by 2030 and intervenes with reading

February 2019

The British government has been prioritizing addressing loneliness, including appointing a Minister of Loneliness. A recent report on social issues and reading, titled “A Society of Readers,” was produced by the non-profit The Reading Agency and the think-tank Demos. According to the report, in 2014 there were about 5 million people over the age of […]

Pilot to Measure Social and Emotional Learning at Denver Public Library

February 2019

How can you measure relationship-building abilities? How can you understand which of your library’s programs best support users’ development of skills like problem-solving? How can you determine whether the youth who come to your library need help learning how to ask a question?

At Denver Public Library (DPL), we wanted to answer these questions, which address a vital set of skills called social and emotional learning, or SEL. A key goal of our public library, like many libraries, is to provide experiences that positively impact participant learning and growth. Particularly with our youth participants, we hoped that library programs fostered SEL, but we had not yet found a way to measure it.

Ithaka S+R report shows that ebook spending is rising in academic libraries, while print spending declines

January 2019

Ithaka S+R recently published the results of their Library Acquisitions Patterns project, which examined purchasing trends in U.S. academic libraries. Their analysis focuses on print books, journals, and ebooks purchased at 124 participating academic institutions. Total materials spending by the participating academic libraries rose by about 8% between 2014 and 2017 to over $313 million.  […]

GAO report estimates that food insecurity is on the rise among college students

January 2019

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report estimating the prevalence of food insecurity among college students in the United States. The report authors reviewed 31 studies to determine what is known about the extent of food insecurity on college campuses, and analyzed the most recent National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) data to […]