• Highlights
• Organization and Content
• Key Variables
• Reference

The report provides basic information on school libraries from 1953–54 to 1999–2000. It describes some of the key variables for which data were available over this nearly 50-year time frame. While not a comprehensive history of library media centers in this country, the report provides a wealth of information drawn from more than 50 sources, the majority of which are federal surveys and reports. Most of the data in the report have been previously published, but the older reports are not easily accessible to the general public. Data in the tables of this document come from nine federally sponsored reports or databases of national data on school libraries. Only datasets that include national-level data were considered for this compilation. The data come from sample surveys that were self-administered. In addition to school library data, the report presents information about the evolving nature of federal legislation, regional school accreditation standards, and other factors relevant to the establishment, financial support, and minimum requirements of public school libraries.

The federal share of revenue for public elementary and secondary education was 4.5 percent in 1953–54 and 7.3 percent in 1999–2000 (U.S. Department of Education 2002). State and local legislative and funding efforts that were also occurring during the time period are not discussed because they are beyond the scope of the report. The efforts at all three levels—federal, state, and local—need to be kept in mind when the descriptive data on the characteristics of libraries across the time span are considered.

The following findings were excerpted from the nearly 50-year span of data on characteristics of public school libraries:

• At the national level, there were approximately 129,000 public schools in 1953–54 and 84,000 in 1999–2000. School consolidation was a major factor in the reduction in the number of public schools (U.S. Department of Education 2002). At the same time, in 1953–54, approximately 27.7 million students attended public schools in the United States. In 1999–2000, the number of students attending the nation's public schools was about 45.0 million.
• In 1953–54, 36 percent of all public schools had library media centers, but these schools contained 59 percent of all public school students. In 1999–2000, 92 percent of all public schools had a school library; these schools contained 97 percent of all public school students.
• At the national level, 40 percent of public schools had a librarian in 1953–54. In 1999–2000, 86 percent of public schools had a librarian.
• Nationally, for all public school students there were 3 school library books per pupil in 1953–54 and 17 books per pupil in 1999–2000.
• In 1953–54, excluding salaries, per pupil expenditures for public school libraries were $6 (in adjusted 1999–2000 dollars). In 1999–2000, per pupil expenditures for public school libraries, excluding salaries, were $15.
• The percent of public schools with a librarian ranged from 17 percent in the New England accreditation region to 62 percent in the Western accreditation region in 1953–54. In the other accreditation regions, librarians were employed in public school libraries as follows: Middle States (36 percent), North Central (39 percent), Southern (42 percent), and Northwest (50 percent).
• In 1999–2000, the percent of public schools with a librarian ranged from 61 percent in the Western accreditation region to 93 percent in the Southern accreditation region. In the other accreditation regions, librarians were employed in public school libraries as follows: Northwest (79 percent), New England (86 percent), Middle States (92 percent), and North Central (86 percent).
• In 1953–54, 24 percent of elementary public schools and 95 percent of secondary public schools had a school library media center. In 1999–2000, 95 percent of elementary public schools and 87 percent of secondary public schools had a school library media center.
• In 1953–54, the percent of public schools with library media centers ranged from 13 percent in West Virginia to 80 percent in North Carolina. In 1999–2000, the percent of public schools with library media centers ranged from 73 percent in South Dakota to 100 percent in Hawaii, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
• In 1953–54, the percent of public schools with a librarian ranged from 7 percent in Vermont and the District of Columbia to 80 percent in Delaware. In 1999–2000, the percent of public schools with a librarian ranged from 59 percent in West Virginia to 100 percent in Hawaii.

The report is divided into four sections that present categories of historical data about public school library media centers. In the order shown in the report, the categories are as follows:

• national-level data;
• regional-level data;
• school-level data; and
• state-level data.

The third section includes both elementary and secondary school data. In the final section, on state data, the accompanying text provides information on school library services from reports on federal programs that supported school libraries. Also included in state summaries are services provided by state library agencies to school libraries between 1996 and 2000 that involved funding, standards or guidelines, and development staff; these services are included because they relate specifically to the key variables in this report.

The report also includes four appendixes: Per Pupil Measures, Adjusting Dollars Using the Consumer Price Index, States in Regional Accrediting Associations, and Standard Error Tables. Since standard errors were not available for the older datasets used in this compendium, only the standard errors from 1990–91, 1993–94, and 1999–2000 are presented in the tables.

The main factors considered in the selection of variables were the importance of the variable, sufficiency of the data over the 50 years covered in the report, and comparability of the data. All tables of library data in the report contain the following 11 key variables:

• number of public schools;
• number of pupils in public schools;
• number of public schools with library media centers;
• percent of public schools with library media centers;
• number of pupils in schools with library media centers;
• percent of pupils in schools with library media centers;
• number of schools with a librarian;
• percent of schools with a librarian;
• books per pupil;
• library expenditures (excluding salaries) per pupil; and
• book expenditures per pupil.

Two of the most basic variables are the number and percent of public schools with library media centers. The number of public schools with a library media center or school library depends on the definition of a school library. That definition has changed over the years covered in this report to reflect changes in the concept of a school library. In this historical compilation, data on formal, organized libraries have been included because they are similar conceptually to what was later known as a library media center. Data from classroom collections have been excluded.

Regarding the staffing variables, number and percent of schools with a librarian, the number of schools with a librarian depends on the definition of a librarian. That definition has also changed a great deal over the past 50 years. Factors that have been incorporated into the definition over this time period include the number of semester hours in library science and state certification in the field of library media. In this report, the prevailing definition of a school librarian at the time was used for each school year presented.^*

Holdings are an important part of a school library, and several holdings variables were considered for this compilation. Books per pupil was selected because it is a school library measure of the educational resources available to students, and it was available in most of the reports reviewed. Only books in formal, organized libraries were included; those in classroom collections were excluded. The total number of books held in the school library was used, not just those books purchased during the previous year.

For this historical report, enrollment data for all public school pupils, not just pupils in public schools with school libraries, was selected. During the past 50 years, the number of public schools with library media centers has approached or reached 100 percent in many states. Using a denominator that represents 100 percent of public school pupils provides a broader context to observe change in the number of library books per pupil, a proxy for societal support for school libraries.

Two other holdings variables considered were the number of periodical subscriptions and the number of titles of audiovisual materials. Comparability of data was a problem in both cases. For example, for some years it was not clear if microform subscriptions were being counted under microforms or subscriptions. Types of materials varied considerably over the years. Similarly, data regarding computers were not comparable, even for the most recent years.

To obtain library expenditures (excluding salaries) per pupil and book expenditures per pupil, only library expenditure data for formal, organized libraries were used in this report. Library expenditures included books and subscriptions, and also in more recent years, video materials and CD-ROMs for formal, organized school libraries. Expenditures for computer hardware and audiovisual equipment were excluded in order to provide comparable data for the years presented.

Enrollment data used to calculate per pupil expenditures included all public school pupils, not just pupils in public schools with school libraries. For this historical report, it was useful to examine per pupil library expenditures in the context of all public school pupils in the categories presented in the tables. These measures of per pupil library and book expenditures allow the reader to observe change and to perceive the overall support for school libraries over time. For both of these expenditure variables, the Consumer Price Index was used to adjust all dollar amounts to the 1999–2000 school year (see appendix B in the full report).

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2002). Digest of Education Statistics, 2001 (NCES 2002-130). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

^*The education level of librarians was considered but excluded as a variable because of the great variation in how education level has been defined and reported over these years. The lack of comparability in the definitions of other library staff resulted in exclusion of this category as a variable.