The study presents data from 18 visual arts libraries from universities, galleries and museums, focusing on their use of Amazon for purchases of books, eBooks, videos, journals and magazines, textbooks, archival supplies, information technology, library shelving and other materials commonly purchased by visual arts libraries. In addition to the quantitative data, survey participants – predominantly heads of visual arts libraries – give their opinion of and advice on how to use Amazon. The study gives highly detailed data on book purchases in particular, relating Amazon’s share, but also the shares of other major vendors in the art library market. It shows how Amazon has shaken up the art library materials market, and how competition might shake out in the future, and its implications for art library costs and purchasing practices.
Survey participants include: the Tate Gallery, Design Institute of San Diego, Columbus College of Art and Design, Bard Graduate Center, Asian Art Museum, Rhode Island School of Design, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University of North Dakota, Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta; University of Cumbria, Falmouth University, Moore College of Art and Design, New School of Architecture and Design, Cleveland Museum of Art, Plymouth College of Art, University of Cape Town and the Vancouver Art Gallery Library.
Just a few of the 95-page report’s many findings are that:
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5.56% of respondents indicated their libraries had purchased a microfilm scanner or reader from Amazon in the last five years
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50% of research-oriented college and university respondents indicated their libraries had purchased archival boxes, files, tissue, boards, slides, albums, or similar equipment from Amazon in the last five years.
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Gobi Library Services accounted for a mean of 11% of the dollar volume of all book purchases by the survey respondents in the past year.
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Close to 28% of respondents said that their volume of book purchases accounted for by Amazon would increase in the next year.