2004 Australian and New Zealand academic library (CAUL) statistics.

Introduction

The Australian and New Zealand academic library statistics are collected and published annually for GAUL (Council of Australian University Librarians). GAUL has engaged CAVAL Collaborative Solutions to collect and compile the statistics.

Reporting Structure

The 2004 statistics include 48 entries, which cover 39 Australian and 8 New Zealand academic library systems and 1 co-operative store.

As GAUL requested that data be supplied for each institution as a whole no breakdown by branch or campus library is available.

Data Collection

The data for the 2004 GAUL Statistics was collected using the Input Module of the CAUL Statistics Online website. This site, at http://statistics.caul.edu.au, was developed for CAUL by CAVAL. Each participating library was supplied with a logon to the Input Module and entered its data directly into the statistical database. A range of data validation checks were incorporated, and the general instructions and detailed data definitions were made available for download and printing. The verified data was then extracted from the database to create the tables to be printed for this publication.

Three new data elements were added to the 2004 data. These are

* ULA/ULANZ Loans (in Library Services)

* ULA Borrowers (in Institutional Population)

* Expenditure e-resources (in Library Expenditure).

The "Deemed List", containing title counts of full-text electronic databases, was updated for the collection of the 2004 data. This list was available to participating libraries from the Online website and they were instructed to use it for calculating new, cancelled and current Serial Titles for e-journals which are part of Publisher's Collections or Aggregations.

The collection procedures and publication details for the 2004 data are as recommended by the CAUL Statistics Focus Group and endorsed by CAUL. The instructions, and "Deemed List" can be viewed from the CAUL statistics web page http://www.caul.edu.au/stats/.

Statistical tables and data

The statistical tables provided in this publication are shown in the same format as for 2003. The implementation of the online input module provided the opportunity to make some logical changes to the order of data elements and to discontinue the use of column numbers. Nonetheless the arrangement of data within the printed tables follows the same pattern as in previous years as much as possible.

The following data elements are not shown in the 2004 printed tables, as the supply of data for them was optional. However all available optional data can be displayed through the Online website.

* Library Organisation

** Floor space

** Shelving

* Library Staff

** Staff listed by HEW level

* Library Services

** Info Literacy: groups

** Info Literacy: persons

** Reference Transactions

** Inter-campus/Branch loans

** Turnstiles

* Information Resources

** Serial volumes: added

** Serial volumes: withdrawn

** Serial volumes: Total

** Archives

The entries in the main statistical tables for the Australian libraries have been arranged alphabetically within states, followed by the data for the New Zealand libraries. The only exception is the Australian Catholic University which is listed ahead of the other institutions.

The reference date is 31 December 2004, with the exception of data relating to institutional populations. This is 31 March 2004 for Australian University staff data, 31 August 2004 for Australian University student data and 1st July 2004 for New Zealand University Libraries. Other specific exceptions are listed under 'General Comments and Explanatory Notes'.

Population data was supplied by DEST (Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training) for all Commonwealth government funded higher education institutions in Australia. However Charles Darwin University, University of Newcastle, La Trobe University, RMIT University, Swinburne University, Victoria University and Edith Cowan University supplied additional data for their TAFE populations.

Population data for the New Zealand universities and private institutions was supplied by the institution concerned.

Data which is an estimate only is shown in italics. The symbol CP indicates that data COULD NOT BE PROVIDED for that column. A BLANK entry indicates that the item in question is NOT APPLICABLE to that library.

Eight rows of statistical information for both Australian and New Zealand libraries have been added to the main tables. These rows show the TOTAL for all Australian libraries, the TOTAL for all New Zealand libraries, the TOTAL for Australian and New Zealand libraries, the MEDIAN, the MEAN, the LOWER QUARTILE (25%), the UPPER QUARTILE (75%) and the VALID NO. of libraries used for the statistical calculations for each column. Statistics are not shown for those columns where the number of valid libraries is less than 25. Library Expenditure data is in Australian dollars for Australian libraries and in New Zealand dollars for New Zealand Libraries. With the exception of the sub-total of New Zealand libraries expenditure which is in New Zealand dollars, all other calculated statistics are for Australian libraries only and are in Australian dollars.

Two tables ranking the total library systems according to criteria selected by CAUL are included. Both Australian and New Zealand universities are included in these ranking tables. These tables, headed 'Rankings of total library systems for selected ratios' show the same ratios published for the 2003 data. For each ratio the MEAN, MEDIUM, LOWER QUARTILE (25%), UPPER QUARTILE (75%) and the VALID NO. of libraries used to calculate that column are included. Note that expenditure for New Zealand Libraries has been converted to Australian Dollars for these ratios. As noted in previous reports, interpretive comparisons of these statistics should always be made with caution.

Amendments to the 2003, 2002, 2001 and…