Benchmarking Statistics
The SCONUL Annual Statistical Return forms a key part of the SCONUL membership package and is produced by the members for the benefit of the members to provide a detailed picture of the workings of a core university function. This data has proved invaluable to library leaders in strategic planning of their own services by:
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enabling institutions to benchmark their own performance year on year and their performance against their peers. The guidance on the statistical collection aims to ensure consistency in order to provide a robust data set that can be used in benchmarking.
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providing an annual insight into the collections, services and activities of the SCONUL member libraries, thereby supporting library directors and other senior staff in their strategic planning, decision making and internal advocacy.
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enabling the sector to identify trends and developments in the provision of library services nationally.
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A case study on how institutions can use the statistics is available here.
We are undertaking a review of our benchmarking statistics at the moment. More details of the work are available here.
The statistics are copyright of SCONUL which grants permission to its members to use the statistics within their institution. More information on the copyright and use of the statistics is available here.
Resources
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First glimpse of the post-Covid library SCONUL Annual Library Statistics 2021-22. July 2023
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The Covid-19 library continued - Annual Library Statistics 2020-21 July 2022
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The Covid-19 library - Annual Library Statistics 2019-20 July 2021
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The hybrid library-- Annual Library Statistics 2018-19. July 2020
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Research support - Annual statistical Return 2017 - 2018 July 2019
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Commentary on the SCONUL Annual Statistical Return 2016 - 2017 The continuing evolution of UK academic libraries. June 2018
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Commentary and notes on the statistics 2015-16 Annual library statistics 2015-16. July 2017
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Analysis: Evolving Library Spaces and Practice A brief report on how library space and practice have evolved over the past ten years, drawing on SCONUL Access statistics. June 2016
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Changing trends in loans, visits & the use of e-books Excerpt from the SCONUL Annual Statistics 2013-14. June 2015
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2018 University Library Statistics (Korea) Published by KERIS (Korean Education and Research Information Service) and Ministry of Education, Korea.
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2019 University Library Statistics (Korea) Published by KERIS (Korean Education and Research Information Service) and Ministry of Education, Korea
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ADBU Study of European indicators The situation of French university libraries compared with other European countries. December 2018