Skip Navigation
Academic Libraries: 2008
NCES 2010-348
December 2009


Table 3. Gate count, reference transactions per typical week at academic libraries, and total information service to groups, by control, level, size, and Carnegie classification of institution: 2008

Institutional characteristic Total number of libraries During typical week in Fall 2008 Information service to groups, Fiscal year 2008
Gate count1 Reference transactions, including computer searches Total number of presentations Total number served
   
All U.S. academic libraries 3,827   20,274,423 1,079,770   498,337 8,967,559
               
Control               
Public  1,576   13,238,737 727,046   323,006 6,153,856
Private  2,251   7,035,686 352,724   175,331 2,813,703
               
Level2               
Total 4-year and above  2,393   15,661,190 708,135   356,293 6,254,102
Doctor's  721   9,640,623 426,522   218,079 3,795,776
Master's  911   4,285,287 169,007   88,752 1,624,958
Bachelor's  730   1,626,198 106,676   47,366 798,877
Less than 4-year  1,434   4,613,233 371,635   142,044 2,713,457
               
Size (FTE enrollment)3               
Less than 1,000  1,455   1,218,368 130,657   39,098 608,461
1,000 to 2,999  1,136   3,714,979 194,543   94,862 1,564,532
3,000 to 4,999  475   2,591,602 128,749   65,993 1,207,170
5,000 to 9,999  405   3,621,103 172,090   92,724 1,669,575
10,000 to 19,999  238   4,328,134 226,436   100,209 1,834,200
20,000 or more  118   4,800,237 227,295   105,451 2,083,621
               
Carnegie classification2               
Doctoral/Research  275   7,159,593 292,535   156,696 2,787,418
Master's I and II  603   4,533,195 209,969   105,527 1,906,206
Baccalaureate  557   2,360,543 74,027   41,034 677,525
Baccalaureate/Associates  96   250,583 16,196   8,158 146,231
Associates  1,474   4,890,329 401,013   155,103 2,941,041
Specialized  645   1,003,464 75,747   27,484 440,453
Not classified 177   76,716 10,283   4,335 68,685
1 "Gate count" is the number of persons who physically enter library facilities over the course of a typical week. A single person can be counted more than once.
2 While "level" and "Carnegie classification" are similar, there is not complete overlap in the two classifications. "Level" refers to the highest level of any degree offered by the institution. The "Carnegie classification" is based on criteria such as institutional mission and research funding in addition to highest level of degree awarded. The Carnegie classification was developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and published in A Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, 2005 Edition.
3 Full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment is calculated by adding one-third of part-time enrollment to full-time enrollment.
NOTE: The number of doctoral, master's, and bachelor's level institutions does not sum to the total number of 4-year and above institutions because there are 4-year and above institutions that grant "other" degrees and are thus not included in the breakdown.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Academic Libraries Survey (ALS), 2008.