Dive Summary:
- New data from the Association of Research Libraries shows an increase in spending, particularly on digital materials, for fiscal year 2011--the first increase in several years.
- The increase in demand for digital materials has also changed the budget and staffing needs of research libraries, leading to a greater emphasis on whether a position is really still needed and freeing up budgets for acquisitions.
- According to the report, the drops in staffing and spending on physical materials in recent years have both leveled off.
From the article:
Spending by research libraries appears to be rising, especially for digital materials, according to new data from the Association of Research Libraries. The data are part of the association's Library Investment Index, which ranks the association's member libraries each year based on total library expenditures, salaries and wages of professional staff, spending on library materials, and the number of professional and support staff. The upward trend for the 2011 fiscal year was the first in several years. ...