Academic Libraries

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collects data biennially from about 3,700 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in order to provide an overview of academic libraries nationwide and by state.

An academic library is the library associated with a degree-granting institution of higher education. Academic libraries are identified by the post-secondary institution of which they are a part and provide all of the following:

  1. An organized collection of printed or other materials or a combination thereof;
  2. A staff trained to provide and interpret such materials as required to meet the informational, cultural, recreational, or educational needs of clientele;
  3. An established schedule in which services of the staff are available to clientele; and
  4. The physical facilities necessary to support such a collection, staff, and schedule.

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