LAW LIBRARY BENCHMARK SURVEY AVAILABLE

A survey of 84 firm, university, government, and corporate law libraries has been published by Primary Research Group. The report has approximately 300 tables of data summarizing a broad range of developments in law library policies regarding personnel and salaries, materials spending, procurement, management, reference services, and information policy.

Here are just a few of the findings:

Nearly half of the libraries have downsized in the past five years. At the same time, over 70 percent of them increased their budgets and nearly the same number expect an increase for 2006.

Spending for online databases averaged over US$500,000 in 2005, with firm libraries averaging over US$1 million. However, print resources still make up over half of the materials budget (except for firm and corporate libraries). The average spent on print reporters dropped nearly six percent, to about US$34,000.

Librarians surveyed averaged just over four hours per day online and just under 4 hours per week reading blogs and electronic lists.

Fewer than nine percent of the libraries use books jobbers and less than half use subscription services.

Bibliographic Information: Primary Research Group, Law Library Benchmarks, 2006-07 Edition, ISBN 1-57440-079-7, $119.50 (print version) or $139.50 (PDF). To order: http://www.primaryresearch.com or 1-212-736-736-2316 (ask for James Moses)

URL: news release http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/6/emw394230.htm