BL RIC logo 5.0 Results

Background data



The following results of the BLRIC study, with comparisons of some from the FIGIT study, are arranged under the following headings:

Notes

Response rate details

Questionnaires sent out644
Returned as 'gone away'8
Returned not completed
(for a variety of good reasons
e.g.library closed down)
20
Returned completed322
National Trust1
Completed questionnaire response rates
Public libraries61%
Cathedral libraries53%
All other libraries45%
Overall response rate53%

BACKGROUND DATA

5.1 Number and category of libraries responding to the survey and the total number of titles in their stocks (Q1 and Q2i)

Table 1

Number of libraries Total titles in stocks
Public*11244,394,150
Government Ministry/Dept28 2,581,500
College/School8402,580
Learned society/professional65 4,184,145
Cathedral24289,950
Subscription141,369,500
Educational/research10 343,500
Museum reference121,918,500
Other**493,466,400
Total322 58,950,225

* 23 public libraries provided totals of the number of 'items' in their stocks instead of the number of 'titles' as requested. Estimates of the totals of their 'titles' were produced using the CIPFA Public Library Statistics 1994-95 actual (1996) and the formula described in Section 4.5.6. Using the same method it was possible to estimate the total titles in the 71 libraries which did not respond to the survey. .

** 'Other Libraries' included the following: broadcasting, business, charity, endowed, government funded institute, hobby and club, national special, NHS/public health, poetry, private, quango, record office, religious, research council, trades union, and five 'unclassified'.

Table 2: Estimate of the number of titles in the stocks of 71 public libraries which did not respond to the survey

45 public libraries with items in CIPFA Statistics totalling 25,813,000
50% adult fiction and children's books: 3 items per title 4,302,166
35% adult non-fiction: 2 items per title 4,517,275
15% reference stock: 1.5 items per title 2,581,300
11,400,741 div.by 45=253,350
26 non-respondent libraries lacking CIPFA figures
26 x 253,350 6,639,100
TOTAL 18,039,841 titles

5.2 Number of m/r records already available in librares (Q2i and Q19i)

Table 3

Total titles Number of m/r records available
Public 44,394,150 35,146,777
Government Ministry/Department 2,581,500 1,633,843
College/School 402,580 266,735
Learned society/professional 4,184,145 1,116,345
Cathedral 289,950 127,150
Subscription 1,369,500 108,341
Educational/research 343,500 59,963
Museum reference 1,918,500 519,800
Other 3,466,400 1,244,101
Total 58,950,225 40,223,055

5.3 Catalogue records needing retrospective conversion in the surveyed libraries and their percentage of the total titles in each library category (Q2i and Q12)

Table 4

Total titles Best estimate of number
of records needing to be
converted
Records for conversion
as % of total titles
Public 44,394,150 8,910,054 20%
Government Ministry/Department 2,581,500 887,300 34%
College/School 402,580 102,00025%
Learned society/professional 4,184,145 3,003,350 72%
Cathedral 289,950 150,68052%
Subscription 1,369,500 1,217,100 89%
Educational/research 343,500 266,80078%
Museum reference 1,918,500 1,249,000 65%
Other 3,466,400 2,209,300 64%
Total 58,950,225 17,995,584 31%

5.4 Number of titles in special collections with the number of records already converted, currently being converted, and/or conversion planned (Q2ii, Q19ii, Q29 and Q35)

Table 5 Special Collections *

Total number of titles Converted titles Currently converting *Planned conversion
Public** 4,925,107 1,116,373 320,413411,795
Other*** 2,127,112 374,222225,630 332,771
Cathedral 75,08434,300 3803,000
7,127,303 1,524,895 546,423 747,566

This table gives details of the number of titles and records for special collections which are included in the totals given in Table 3.

* Appendix D gives a sample of the lists which could be produced of special collections as a result of the data gathered in the two studies.

'Current' and 'planned' programmes were not mutually exclusive and there is a measure of overlap in the totals. It should also be noted that it was clear that in a number of instances the 'planned' totals given were best hopes rather than firm estimates.

**Using the same method of calculation as detailed in 5.1 above, it is estimated that the total titles for printed items in special collections in all the UK's public libraries is 6,900,000 and that 40% (2,800,000) of these are in local collections, with 5,300,000 catalogue records awaiting conversion.

*** Several of the 'other' libraries were unable to provide details of the number of titles in their special collections and the total is almost certainly higher than shown above.

5.5 Forms of library catalogue presently in use (Q3 by Q1)

Table 6

Guardbook Printed book Card Sheaf Microfilmed Other non-m/r
Public 1 9 80 15 4 7
Government Ministry/Dept 1 2 10 3 5
College/School 1 5 1
Learned society/professional 1 10 41 5 1 3
Cathedral 1 8 20 3 1
Subscription 1 2 12 1
Educational/research 8 1 2
Museum reference 1 1 10 1 1
Other 2 12 36 3 4 4
Total 8 45 222 32 16 17

5.6 Libraries with more than one form of non-m/r catalogue - BLRIC and FIGIT figures compared (BLRIC Q3 x Q1 and FIGIT Q6 by Q1)

Table 7

 Machine readable catalogues No catalogues
 COM OPAC Other m/r   
      
Public 3078 16  
Government Ministry/Dept 223 3  
College/School 16   1
Learned society/professional 126 14 1
Cathedral 14 4  
Subscription  3    
Educational/research  5 2  
Museum reference 15 1  
Other 321 11  
Total 39 171 51  2
  Number of non-m/r forms
BLRIC 2 3 45
Public 253 1
Government Ministry/Dept 2
College/School 2
Learned society/professional 111
Cathedral 9
Subscription 3
Educational/research 11
Museum reference 1
Other 124 1
Total 63 11 2 1
FIGIT 2 34
Universities <1959 75 3
Universities 1960-89 3
Universities 1990- 2
Other HEFCE funded 2
Other Academic 224 1
36 9 4

5.7 Material from which m/r catalogue records are/have been produced (Q7 by Q1)

Table 8

Cataloguing Previously Through
of current uncatalogued retrospective
material material conversion
Public 9962 80
Government Ministry/Dept 2414 15
College/School 63 4
Learned society/professional 4120 27
Cathedral 65 7
Subscription 33 2
Educational/research 91 7
Museum reference 64 5
Other 2916 27
Total 223 128 174

5.8 Completed/suspended retroconversion projects (Q8 by Q1)

Table 9

Yes No
Public 6542
Government Ministry/Dept 1711
College/School 53
Learned society/professional 1842
Cathedral 617
Subscription 29
Educational/research 37
Museum reference 48
Other 1727
Total 137 166

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