The report examines how library directors feel about their special collections. It impacts data on how much libraries are spending on special collections and how successful that they have been in raising funds for library special collections. It also looks at library director satisfaction levels with the management of special collections, and with digitization efforts, with separate data sets for both general performance and digitization. In addition, the report looks at plans for special collections and with perceived problems in special collections development.
Just a few of this 36-page report’s many findings are that:
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Mean spending on special collections by the libraries in the sample was $160,315 with a range of 0 to $3,200,000.
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About 21% of those sampled said that their special collections digitization efforts had disappointing results.
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Research Universities and institutions with more than 5000 students were the most satisfied with the management of their special collections.
Data in the report is broken out by size and type of institution, by tuition level, for public and private institutions and by other useful variables.