Library Collection

This section of the survey (450-460) collects data on selected types of materials.

It does not cover all materials (i.e., microform, scores, maps, and pictures) for which expenditures are reported under Print Materials Expenditures, Electronic Materials Expenditures, and Other Material Expenditures (data elements #353, #354, and #355). Under this category report only items the library has acquired as part of the collection and catalogued, whether purchased, lease, licensed, or donated as gifts. that have been purchased, leased or licensed by the library, a consortium, the state library, a donor or other person or entity. Included items must only be accessible with a valid library card or at a physical library location; inclusion in the catalog is not required. Do not include items freely available without monetary exchange. Do not include items that are permanently retained by the patron; count only items that have a set circulation period where it is available for their use. Count electronic materials at the administrative entity level; do not duplicate numbers at each branch.

1. 451 Electronic Books (E-Books)

E-books are digital documents (including those digitized by the library), licensed or not, where searchable text is prevalent, and which can be seen in analogy to a printed book (monograph). Include non-serial government documents. E-books are loaned to users on portable devices (e-book readers) or by transmitting the contents to the user’s personal computer for a limited time. Include e-books held locally and remote e-books for which permanent or temporary access rights have been acquired.  Report the number of physical or electronic units, including duplicates, for all outlets at the administrative entity level; do not duplicate unit count for each branch. For smaller libraries, if volume data are not available, the number of titles may be counted. E-books packaged together as a unit (e.g., multiple titles on a single ebook reader) and checked out as a unit are counted as one unit.

Report the number of units. Report only items that have been purchased, leased or licensed by the library, a consortium, the state library, a donor or other person or entity. Included items must only be accessible with a valid library card or at a physical library location; inclusion in the catalog is not required. Do not include items freely available without monetary exchange. Do not include items that are permanently retained by the patron; count only items that have a set circulation period where it is available for their use. Count electronic materials at the administrative entity level; do not duplicate numbers at each branch.

NOTE: For purposes of this survey, units are defined as “units of acquisition or purchase”. The “unit” is determined by considering whether the item is restricted to a finite number of simultaneous users or an unlimited number of simultaneous users.

Finite simultaneous use: units of acquisition or purchase is based on the number of simultaneous usages acquired (equivalent to purchasing multiple copies of a single title). For example, if a library acquires a title with rights to a single user at a time, then that item is counted as 1 “unit”; if the library acquires rights to a single title for 10 simultaneous users, then that item is counted as 10 “units”. For smaller libraries, if volume data are not available, the number of titles may be counted.

Unlimited simultaneous use: units of acquisition or purchase is based on the number of titles acquired. For example, if a library acquires a collection of 100 books with unlimited simultaneous users, then that collection would be counted as 100 “units”.

Changed for FY2015 for those states able to collect. All states to collect for FY2016 survey.

____________________________

Prior definition: 

Library Collection

This section of the survey (450-460) collects data on selected types of materials.  It does not cover all materials (i.e., microform, scores, maps, and pictures) for which expenditures are reported under Print Materials Expenditures, Electronic Materials Expenditures, and Other Material Expenditures (data elements #353, #354, and #355).  Under this category report only items the library has acquired as part of the collection and catalogued, whether purchased, lease, licensed, or donated as gifts. 

Note to the SDCs:  The definition has changed, but the edits will remain the same: if data is flagged in the edit report and annotations are not provided, Census will follow up with the SDC.   

451 Electronic Books (E-Books)

E-books are digital documents (including those digitized by the library), licensed or not, where searchable text is prevalent, and which can be seen in analogy to a printed book (monograph). Include non-serial government documents. E-books are loaned to users on portable devices (e-book readers) or by transmitting the contents to the user’s personal computer for a limited time.  Include e-books held locally and remote e-books for which

permanent or temporary access rights have been acquired.  Report the number of physical or electronic units, including duplicates, for all outlets. For smaller libraries, if volume data are not available, the number of titles may be counted. E-books packaged together as a unit (e.g., multiple titles on a single ebook reader) and checked out as a unit are counted as one unit.

Report the number of units.  Report only items the library has selected as part of the collection (exclude public domain / uncopyrighted e-books that have unlimited access).

NOTE: For purposes of this survey, units are defined as “units of acquisition or purchase”. The “unit” is determined by considering whether the item is restricted to a finite number of simultaneous users or an unlimited number of simultaneous users.

Finite simultaneous use: units of acquisition or purchase is based on the number of simultaneous usages acquired (equivalent to purchasing multiple copies of a single title). For example, if a library acquires a title with rights to a single user at a time, then that item is counted as 1 “unit”; if the library acquires rights to a single title for 10 simultaneous users, then that item is counted as 10 “units”

Unlimited simultaneous use: units of acquisition or purchase is based on the number of titles acquired. For example, if a library acquires a collection of 100 books with unlimited simultaneous users, then that collection would be counted as 100 “units”.

Changed for FY2013 Survey for those states able to collect. All states to collect for FY2014 survey:

*******

Note to SDCs for FY2012 data submission:  With the definition change, this data element now also includes E-books in the library’s collection that are not catalogued or made accessible through the OPAC.

This is a clarification to the data element after the ballot voting. Note that the definition text was clarified.

Changed &/or clarified for FY2012 for those states able to collect. All states to collect for FY2013 survey.