Office for Research & Statistics
Chicago, IL 60611
1-800-545-2433, x4283
312-280-4283
Mission
The Mission of the Office for Research and Statistics (ORS) is to provide leadership and expert advice to ALA staff, members, and public on all matters related to research and statistics about libraries, librarians, and other library staff; represent the Association to Federal agencies on these issues; and initiate projects needed to expand the knowledge base of the field through research and the collection of useful statistics.
To assist with navigating the Office's resources, please use the following links:
Staff
New Resources - ALA Research Series, Issues Briefs, Tough Economy Toolkit, and more
Initiatives and Projects
Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study
Membership Demographics Study
Committees & Roundtables
Library History Round Table (LHRT)
Library Research Round Table (LRRT)
Committee on Research and Statistics (CORS)
Resources
Awards
Library Networks, Cooperatives, and Consortia
National Center for Education Statistics
Reports
Statistics About Libraries
Standards
Initiatives & Projects
New Resources
ALA Research Series
The purpose of the ALA Research Series is to expand the knowledge base of library research through publishing quantitative and/or qualitative research and analysis that addresses topics important to libraries, librarians, and education in the profession.
Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study
The Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study assesses public access to computers, the Internet and Internet-related services in U.S. public libraries, and the impact of library funding changes on connectivity, technology deployment and sustainability. The study builds on the longest-running and largest study of Internet connectivity in public libraries begun in 1994.
Read the new study, Libraries Connect Communities, today.
Issues Briefs
The Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study research team has developed and published topical Issues Briefs related to issues affecting communities’ access to technology in our public libraries. These documents are not intended to be comprehensive, but rather share key findings from the largest and longest-running study of Internet connectivity in libraries.
Issue Brief published June 2010 - U.S. Public Libraries and E-Government Services
Issue Brief published March 2009 - Supporting Learners in U.S. Public Libraries
Issue Brief published June 2010 - Job-Seeking in US Public Libraries
Issue Brief published April 2008 - Internet Connectivity in U.S. Public Libraries
Toolkits
Tough Economy Toolkit - Advocacy, communication, and outreach resources.
Membership Demographics Study
The ALA's Member Demographics Questionnaire allows the organization to better know itself, to better advocate for ALA members, and to provide services more effectively.Committees and Roundtables
Library History Round Table (LHRT)
Founded in 1947, LHRT exists to facilitate communication among scholars and students of library history, to support research in library history, and to be active in issues, such as preservation, that concern library historians.
Library Research Round Table (LRRT)
Founded in 1968, LRRT exists to contribute toward the extension and improvement of library research; to provide public program opportunities for describing and evaluating library research projects and for disseminating their findings; to inform and educate ALA members concerning research techniques and their usefulness in obtaining information with which to reach administrative decisions and solve problems; and expand the theoretical base of the field.Committee on Research and Statistics (CORS)
The Committee on Research and Statistics facilitates research and related activities in all units of the Association especially activities related to library statistics; advises the ALA Council and Executive Boards on programs, policy, and priorities regarding research and related activities; recommends procedures to achieve expeditious consideration of all ALA unit proposals for research and related activities by the ALA Executive Board; and more.Resources
Awards
The awards and grants administered by the Office for Research and Statistics and the Library History and Library Research Roundtables, inlcuding the Baber Research Grant, the Phyllis Dain Library History, the Donald G. Davis Article Award, the Loleta D. Fyan Grant, the Eliza Atkins Gleason Book Award, the Ingenta Research Award, the Jesse H. Shera Award for Distinguished Published Research, the Jesse H. Shera Award for the Support of Dissertation Research, and the Justin Winsor Prize Essay award.
Library Networks, Cooperatives, and Consortia
Survey of Library Networks and Cooperatives.National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics reports and the 2008 Academic Library Survey. For advisory committee information, minutes, and other survey documentation search the Academic Library Survey Documentation page.
Reports
Includes ALA's salary survey, library staff studies, recruitment and retirement studies, studies of public library use in economic hard times and more.
Statistics About Libraries
Statistics on academic, public, and school libraries, as well as state library agencies and libraries in other countries.
Standards
ALA Standards Manual, and compilation of standards and guidelines.
Staff
E-mail: ors@ala.org
Fax: 312-280-4392
Staff:Project Manager: Judy Hoffman
Phone: 312-280-2129
Toll Free: 800-545-2433, press 1, ext. 4291
Email: jhoffman@ala.org
Program Officer: Norman Rose
Phone: 312-280-4283
Toll Free: 800-545-2433, press 1, ext. 4283
Email: nrose@ala.org
Administrative Assistant II: Caroline Jewell
Phone: 312-280-4274
Toll Free: 800-545-2433, press 1, ext. 4274
Email: cjewell@ala.org