Digital Publications

On this website you can access the full text of the Association’s flagship serial publications that have been published since 2006. Research Library Issues and SPEC Kits are freely available to all readers. Non-ARL members may purchase perpetual access to the ARL Annual Salary Survey and ARL Statistics titles. Online access offers the following features:

  • Search and read the full text online.
  • Fast, page-at-a-time viewing that works in any web browser, and in web-enabled handhelds like the iPhone.
  • Exact page reproduction.
  • Full-text search with relevancy ranking to help you quickly locate passages of interest.
  • All pages are easily bookmarkable for future reference.
  • Download a PDF of a particular section or the complete publication for offline use on your computer, tablet, or other digital reader.

What’s New

  • Cover Image ARL Annual Salary Survey 2017–2018
    Keyword(s): research libraries; salary data; salary trends; library professional staff
    Abstract:

    This report analyzes salary data for all professional staff working in the 123 ARL member libraries during FY2017–2018. Data for 10,518 professional staff members were reported this year for the 114 ARL university libraries, including their law and medical libraries (862 staff members reported by 72 medical libraries and 715 staff members reported by 74 law libraries). For the 9 nonuniversity ARL members, data were reported for 3,259 professional staff members. Beginning, median, and average salaries by race, sex, years of experience, geographic region, and professional position for research, university, law, and medical libraries are covered. 

    Downloadable Microsoft Excel file of data tables

    Morris, Shaneka. ARL Annual Salary Survey 2017–2018. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, 2019.
  • Cover Image ARL Statistics 2016-2017
    Keyword(s): statistics; research library; collection expenditures; salary expenditures; operating expenditures; library personnel; public services; ILL items loaned; ILL items borrowed; library investment index
    Abstract:

    This edition of the ARL Statistics describes the collections, staffing, expenditures (for both print and electronic materials), and service activities of the 124 Association of Research Libraries member libraries in the US and Canada in fiscal year 2016–2017.

    Morris, Shaneka, and Gary Roebuck, comps. and eds. ARL Statistics 2016–2017. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, 2019.
  • Cover Image ARL Academic Health Sciences Library Statistics 2016-2017
    Keyword(s): statistics; health sciences library; research library; collection expenditures; salary expenditures; operating expenditures; library personnel; public services; ILL items loaned; ILL items borrowed
    Abstract:

    This edition of the ARL Academic Health Sciences Library Statistics is a compilation of data that describes collections, expenditures, personnel, and services in 58 health sciences libraries at ARL member institutions in the US and Canada in fiscal year 2016–2017.

    Morris, Shaneka, and Gary Roebuck, comps. and eds. ARL Academic Health Sciences Library Statistics 2016–2017. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, 2019.
  • Cover Image ARL Academic Law Library Statistics 2016-2017
    Keyword(s): statistics; law library; research library; collection expenditures; salary expenditures; operating expenditures; library personnel; public services; ILL items loaned; ILL items borrowed
    Abstract:

    This edition of the ARL Academic Law Library Statistics is a compilation of data that describes collections, expenditures, personnel, and services in 72 law libraries at ARL member institutions in the US and Canada in fiscal year 2016–2017.

    Morris, Shaneka, and Gary Roebuck, comps. and eds. ARL Academic Law Library Statistics 2016–2017. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, 2019.
  • Cover Image Research Library Issues, no. 296 (2018)
    Keyword(s): RLI; radical collaboration; research data management; scholarly communication; archives; research libraries
  • Cover Image Research Library Issues, no. 295 (2018)
    Keyword(s): RLI; workforce; library professionals; diversity; statistics; demographics; research libraries
  • Cover Image SPEC Kit 361: Outreach and Engagement (November 2018)
    Keyword(s): research library; library services; impact; library promotion; programming
    Abstract:

    This SPEC Kit captures a snapshot of how ARL member libraries are defining their outreach and engagement programs, how they are assigning and structuring responsibilities, and how they are measuring the success and impact of their efforts. The survey gathered information about types of activities, which populations are served, levels of funding and staff support for these activities, program planning, collaborations and strategic partnerships, and assessment measures and reporting practices. In addition, survey respondents were asked to provide a brief case study for an outreach or engagement activity in their organization. It includes examples of statements on outreach mission and goals, programs and services, event planning documents, reports of outcomes, and job descriptions.

    LeMire, Sarah, Stephanie J. Graves, Shannon L. Farrell, and Kristen L. Mastel. Outreach and Engagement. SPEC Kit 361. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, November 2018.
  • Cover Image SPEC Kit 360: Learning Analytics (September 2018)
    Keyword(s): research library; assessment; student data; library value; learning outcomes
    Abstract:

    This SPEC Kit examines current practices, policies, and ethical issues around libraries and learning analytics. It explore how ARL member institutions are navigating the balance between gathering and managing data in support of learning analytics initiatives and attending to the profession’s ethics commitments. To these ends, it seeks to answer these broad questions: how are academic libraries planning for, adopting, and participating in learning analytics initiatives?; what mechanisms do they use to maintain data security and privacy?; what ethical issues do they encounter when participating in learning analytics?; and how do they negotiate and resolve those issues? It includes examples of library privacy statements and policies, institutional privacy polices, and data security policies.

    Perry, Michael R., Kristin A. Briney, Abigail Goben, Andrew Asher, Kyle M. L. Jones, M. Brooke Robertshaw, and Dorothea Salo. Learning Analytics. SPEC Kit 360. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, September 2018.
  • Cover Image ARL Statistics 2015-2016
    Keyword(s): statistics; research library; collection expenditures; salary expenditures; operating expenditures; library personnel; public services; ILL items loaned; ILL items borrowed; library investment index
    Abstract:

    This edition of the ARL Statistics describes the collections, staffing, expenditures (for both print and electronic materials), and service activities of the 124 Association of Research Libraries member libraries in the US and Canada in fiscal year 2015–2016.

    Morris, Shaneka, and Gary Roebuck, comps. and eds. ARL Statistics 2015–2016. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, 2018.

     
  • Cover Image ARL Academic Health Sciences Library Statistics 2015-2016
    Keyword(s): statistics; health sciences library; research library; collection expenditures; salary expenditures; operating expenditures; library personnel; public services; ILL items loaned; ILL items borrowed
    Abstract:

    This edition of the ARL Academic Health Sciences Library Statistics is a compilation of data that describes collections, expenditures, personnel, and services in 58 health sciences libraries at ARL member institutions in the US and Canada in fiscal year 2015–2016.

    Morris, Shaneka, and Gary Roebuck, comps. and eds. ARL Academic Health Sciences Library Statistics 2015–2016. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, 2018.