Library Journal and School Library Journal combine editorial & marketing expertise to conduct and present the most up-to-date library market research available.

These comprehensive and reliable reports use real data to help answer hard questions and aid decision making. Our in-house research experts conduct a variety of surveys each year focused on different aspects of public, academic, special and school libraries. Each report is made available as a downloadable pdf.

Academic Literature Collections Survey Report

This report summarizes key findings from LJ’s study on academic libraries’ use of literature collections, emerging research trends, and challenges with current databases. It highlights opportunities to improve usability, expand content diversity, and better align offerings with institutional needs.

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U.S. Public Library Budget Survey Results

This report complements LJ’s March 2025 article, “What’s Up, What’s Down | Budgets and Funding 2025.” It presents key findings from our latest public library budget survey, including data tables by population served and selected open-ended responses. The survey covers operating, materials, and personnel budgets, along with funding sources, spending trends, and statistics on circulation, service hours, and staffing.

Download the full report below, made possible by our sponsors, Baker & Taylor and hoopla.

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LJ/SLJ Audiobooks and Public Libraries 2024

This survey was developed to understand the state of adult and children’s/YA audio collections in U.S. public libraries. The report includes audio circulation and spending trends, as well as popular genres and subjects, the influence a narrator plays, and patron as well as library selection criteria.

Please click below to download the full 79-page report, sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association.

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LJ Digital Magazine Survey of Public Libraries 2024

A North American sample of 327 public libraries weighs in on digital magazines. The report includes figures on digital magazine spending, preferred access models, selection criteria, user experience, and popular magazine titles and topic areas.

Please click below to download the full 29-page report, compliments of EBSCO.

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AV Primary Sources: Survey of Academic Libraries 2024

Library Journal developed the AV primary sources survey to learn the extent to which library audiovisual materials are being used in colleges and universities as primary sources for scholarly research. The report highlights the perspectives of academic librarians, with data on the direction of library AV usage and spending trends, the benefits and challenges associated with using AV as source material, and whether faculty are recommending AV resources in their courses.

Click here to download the full 47-page report, sponsored by AM.

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LJ/SLJ Audiobooks and Public Libraries 2023

This survey was developed to understand the state of adult and children’s/YA audio collections in U.S. public libraries. The report includes audio circulation and spending trends, as well as popular genres and subjects, the influence a narrator plays, and patron as well as library selection criteria.

Please click below to download the full 37-page report, sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association.

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Impact of Academic Libraries on Student Success: Survey Report 2023

A two-pronged survey from the perspective of both academic librarians and faculty reveals how campus libraries contribute to student success, what the barriers are, and what could be done to further the impact of the library. Access to detailed data tables is available at the end of the report.

Click here to download this 18-page report, sponsored by Clarivate.

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Public Library Budget Survey Report 2024

This 31-page report serves as a companion to LJ’s February 2024 article, “A Complex Landscape.” It includes a summary of findings from our latest public library budget survey, data tables segmented by population served, and some open-ended comments. The survey questions focus on operating, materials, and personnel budgets, as well as funding sources, spending trends, and statistics about circulation, service hours, and staffing.

Please click below to download the full report made possible by our sponsor, Baker & Taylor.

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Business and Career Services Report 2023

As public libraries aim to educate and support local job seekers and small businesses, this study teases out the types of resources and programming that are currently offered, and which are most effective in helping users secure or advance their careers/businesses. The report also answers questions about the value of partnerships and the challenges involved in providing career and business services.

Click below to download the full 96-page report, made possible by EBSCO.

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EDI in Academic Library Digital Resources Survey Report 2022

This report highlights how academic libraries apply equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) standards when acquiring digital resources and includes the full data from LJ’s 2022 survey of 220 college/university libraries. The report also covers EDI auditing of existing digital collections, the resources impacted, and EDI budgeting

Please click below to download the full 76-page report, sponsored by Gale.

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Fines & Fees Survey Report 2022

This report contains the full data from LJ’s 2022 Fines & Fees Survey of 320 U.S. public libraries. Select anonymized open-ended comments are included.

Where applicable, it also includes comparisons to 2017’s survey data for trending.

Please click below to download the complimentary 35-page report.

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OA/OER in Academic Libraries Survey Report 2022

First conducted two years ago, the 2022 Open Access/Open Educational Resources survey was fielded to update how U.S. academic libraries are curating their OA/OER collections and to measure usage, satisfaction, and confidence in the resources available. The report provides a comparison of results (2020 to 2022), as well as full 2022 data tables segmented by type and size of academic institution.

Please click below to download the full 28-page report, sponsored by SirsiDynix.

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Library Analytics Survey Among Academic Libraries 2021 Report

Learn about the data collection and analysis practices of 196 college and university libraries. This report highlights the data management practices currently in place and their impact on library service. Barriers to effective data management and the future of library analytics are also explored.

Please click below to download the 17-page report for free today, compliments of EBSCO.

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LJ 2022 College Student Library Usage Survey Report

LJ surveyed over 400 U.S. college students to measure how they use and value their university/college library. The results, from the perspective of community college and 4-year university/college students, are broken down by type of institution, online or in-person learning environments, and broad fields of study: Humanities, STEM, and Business/Education.

Please click below to download the full report, compliments of ProQuest, part of Clarivate.

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State of Academic Libraries 2021 Survey Report

This study surveyed 1,843 college/university librarians from around the globe to quantify the current state of academic libraries. It includes questions about funding, affordable learning initiatives, current challenges, and evolving needs. The 104-page report provides an executive summary of results, followed by data for each question segmented by region and student enrollment.

Download your copy for free today, compliments of Ex Libris.

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Readers’ Advisory Survey Report

View the topline results from LJ’s latest survey on readers’ advisory (RA) services in U.S. public libraries. The survey, fielded in early 2021, includes information about the types of RA currently offered, how RA is promoted and delivered, and much more!

Please click below to download the full 8-page report, sponsored by NoveList.

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Public Library Marketing Survey Report

LJ surveyed 310 public libraries about how they market programming in early 2021. The report shows the most effective promotional methods used and how libraries measure their marketing effectiveness. It also reveals the challenges encountered doing marketing, and the effect of closures due to COVID-19 on libraries’ efforts.

Please click below to download the full 19-page report, sponsored by SirsiDynix.

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Public Library Internet Connectivity Survey Report

Results from this survey reveal details about how U.S. public libraries provide internet connectivity and loan devices that afford more equitable access. It explores how libraries have adjusted to respond to COVID-19 in this regard, and how they fund their broadband internet service.

Please click the button below to download the complete 60-page detailed report, including comments to open-ended questions. Report sponsored by Spectrum Enterprise.

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Academic Library COVID-19 Response Survey Report

Understand the part that college libraries play in the online learning ecosystem brought on by the COVID-19 crisis. The research also explores predictions for long term trends such as how online learning is expected to impact future library purchase decisions.

Please click the button below to download the complete 102-page detailed report, including comments to open-ended questions. Report sponsored by Gale, a Cengage company.

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Academic Faculty: Textbook & Course Materials Affordability Survey Report

This survey gets the faculty point of view on textbook affordability, the integration of digital resources into coursework, and the impact of the campus library on making digital courseware available. This study complements our previous report on textbook affordability from the academic librarian’s perspective.

Please click the download button below for your free copy of this 53-page report, courtesy of Taylor & Francis.

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LJ Digital Humanities Survey of Academic Libraries

With Library Journal’s Digital Humanities Survey of Academic Libraries, we look at the current state of digital humanities (DH) in academic institutions and the support that campus libraries provide. Learn more in this in-depth report about technologies used, academic departments engaging with DH, role of the library, funding, etc.

Click below to download your copy of this 96-page PDF, courtesy of Gale, a Cengage Company.

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2019 Textbook Affordability Survey Report

LJ’s textbook affordability survey gives the academic librarian’s perspective on the issue of textbook affordability. How concerned are college campuses about textbook affordability and can digital alternatives made available in the library help? The report answers these questions and more, with results broken down by size and type of institution.

Fill out the form below to download your copy of this 49-page PDF, courtesy of Taylor & Francis.

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2019 Academic Research: The Librarian’s Point of View On the Need for Varied Content Types

The academic collections survey gives the librarian’s perspective on the needs and challenges facing researchers as they discover and use the overwhelming variety of information available. The report identifies the fundamental issues facing researchers and solutions that make access to multiple formats and appropriate information easier for students.

Fill out the form below to download your copy of this 36-pge PDF, courtesy of ProQuest.

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2018 Adult Graphic Novels Collections Report

LJ’s graphic novels survey report details information about print and digital graphic novel collections in public libraries. Availability/popularity of various graphic novel categories, and shelving and marketing practices are included.

Fill out the form below to download your copy of this 22-pge PDF, courtesy of Hoopla.

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2018 Community Engagement Report

This 15-page report, based on results from an LJ survey conducted in the fall of 2018, highlights the value that public library administrators place on engaging their local creative communities through programming, productive spaces, and discovery for patrons. Funding sources and effective measurement of outcomes are considered as well.

Fill out the form below to download your copy of this PDF, courtesy of BiblioBoard

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2018 Academic Faculty Survey: Use and Perceptions of Electronic Resources Report

LJ surveyed a sample of 228 U.S. college/university faculty to learn how electronic resources, and ebooks in particular, are utilized for research and assigned reading in the classroom. The report relays faculty members’ impediments to using ebooks as course materials and rates the importance of various ebook features. The data is presented in total and broken down by three broad discipline headings; social sciences, arts/humanities, and science/technology.

Fill out the form below to download your copy of this extensive, 56-page PDF, courtesy of EBSCO Information Services.

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2018 Public Library Mobile App Survey Report

LJ’s new mobile app survey report, based on 618 public libraries, highlights the percentage of public libraries with mobile apps by library size. The report reveals which app features are most important, which app vendors are used, satisfaction with integration between the app and the ILS, and how libraries market their app.

2018 Academic Library Collection Development Survey Report

This report provides a snapshot of current trends in library collections at two- and four-year colleges and universities. The goal of Library Journal’s 2018 Academic Library Collection Development Survey was to learn and share how academic librarians approach collection development.

2018 Academic Student Ebook Experience Survey Report

Most college students prefer print books when reading for pleasure, but when they are conducting research, almost two thirds now prefer ebooks or express no preference by format, according to the 2018 Academic Student Ebook Experience Survey, conducted by LJ’s research department and sponsored by EBSCO Information Services. Featuring the opinions of 306 students currently enrolled in four-year colleges and universities (65%), graduate programs (20%), and two-year or community colleges (15%), the survey examines current and emerging trends regarding preferred research devices and sources, changes in ebook usage, important features, preferences by format characteristic, thoughts on downloading and printing restrictions, and more. Fill out the form below to download the 80-page report, courtesy of survey sponsor EBSCO Information Services.

Leading on Literacy

This report features case studies of best practices in supporting multiple literacies from seven leading libraries, including visual, early, digital, civic, cultural, health, and food literacies—and how to integrate them into a seamless, system-wide strategy. are also touched on in the report.

2017 School Library Maker Survey Report

Download the full survey results from SLJ’s Spring 2017 school maker survey. The report highlights school librarian involvement in maker, the types of activities being offered, products used, funding and so much more. This comprehensive 69-page report presents results broken down by school type, locality (urban, suburban, small town & rural) and U.S. regions.

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2017 Maker Programs in Public Libraries

Read LJ’s latest survey results about public library maker services for adults, teens, and children. This comprehensive 72-page report presents the results to our 2017 survey, including data broken down by library size and location (population served and urban/suburban/rural/small town).

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2017 First Year Experience Survey: Information Literacy In Higher Education

Discover how two-year and four-year academic institutions tie information literacy instruction to the First-Year Experience. This 46-page report answers the questions: How much instruction is given and by whom? Is IL instruction tailored by discipline? What are the challenges? How do schools measure success?

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2016 Ebook Usage Reports: Academic Libraries

The most up to date statistics on how libraries are adopting ebooks and the driving factors behind purchasing and circulation activity in the academic market.

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2016 Audiobooks and Public Libraries

This report features insights into audiobook collection size and circulation, physical vs. digital format preferences, and the challenges involved in providing listener advisory and promoting this service. Much of the data is broken down by small, midsize, and large libraries.

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2016 Audiobooks and School Libraries

This report features insights into audiobook collection size and circulation, physical vs. digital format preferences, and the challenges involved in providing and promoting this service. Much of the data is broken down by elementary, middle school, and high school libraries.

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2015 Ebook Usage Reports: U.S. Public Libraries

The most up-to-date statistics on how libraries are adopting ebooks and the driving factors behind purchasing and circulation activity in the public market.

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2015 Ebook Usage Reports: School (K-12) Libraries

The most up to date statistics on how libraries are adopting ebooks and the driving factors behind purchasing and circulation activity in the school (K-12) market.

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2015 Bridging the Librarian-Faculty Gap in the Academic Library

To study how academic libraries are serving their faculty and how they can improve, Library Journal partnered with Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, to conduct a joint study of how academic librarians feel they’re serving their faculty clientele—and how faculty members feel they’re being served by their libraries. Examined together, these responses pinpoint where academic libraries can focus efforts to take their service to faculty, as well as students, to the next level.

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