U.S. Department of Commerce

Library Statistics

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Overview: Library Statistics

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) sponsor surveys about libraries.
The U.S. Census Bureau acts as the collection agent for these surveys, but the data themselves are available through the sponsoring agency.

The data provided to the IMLS and the NCES are used for a wide range of purposes including research, policy development, and legislative action.

IMLS—sponsored surveys

Public Libraries Survey
Collects nationwide descriptive statistics on all public libraries in the United States.

State Library Agencies Survey
Collects data from the official state library agencies charged with state-wide library development and the administration of federal funds authorized by the Library Services and Technology Act.

NCES—sponsored surveys

Academic Libraries Survey
Collects data from libraries of postsecondary institutions.

Guide to Data Collections from the U.S. Census Bureau

Sponsor Survey Title Frequency Description
Institute of Museum and Library Services Public Libraries Survey Annual Census of public libraries and their public service outlets
State Library Agencies Survey Annual Census of official state library agencies
National Center for Education Statistics Academic Libraries Survey Biennial Census of academic libraries in degree-granting postsecondary institutions

Source: U.S. Census Bureau | Library Statistics | |  Last Revised: November 05, 2009