This 100-page study presents data from 68 academic libraries about their purchases from Amazon, focusing particularly on print books, but covering also a broad range of materials and commodities including but not limited to eBooks, videos, audiobooks, archival supplies, library furniture, office supplies, printer and photocopier supplies, microfilm supplies, computing devices, CD’s, software, online courses and much more..
For the academic library book market the report presents broad market share data for the major suppliers and then gives detailed information on the intentions of those surveyed to increase or decrease the percentage of their book purchases from Amazon in the near future.
Survey participants also give their advice on how to best use Amazon, and give their opinion of its most and least appealing characteristics; they also discuss their extent of use of the company’s services, and plans for the future.
Data in the report is presented in the aggregate and broken out for public and private colleges, by general Carnegie class, by level of tuition, and by student enrollment.
Just a few of the report’s many findings are that:
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29.41% of libraries surveyed had purchased archival boxes, files, tissue, boards, slides, albums or other similar archival tools over the past five years.
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Research university libraries in the sample spent a mean of $7,180 for eBooks from Amazon in the past year.
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More than 88% of colleges sampled charging more than $30,000 per year in annual tuition had purchased videos from Amazon in the past year.
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38.1% had purchased computer or printer supplies from Amazon in the past year, a figure that dropped to 33.33% for libraries with between 10 and 30 employees and then to 21.74% for those with more than 30 employees.
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Spending on print books by libraries in the sample increased by 6.11% in the 2018-19 academic year