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Title: Subject Files, 1978-2012

ID: 14/2/6

Creator: Office for Research and Statistics

Extent: 6.3 Cubic Feet

Arrangement: Alphabetical and chronological thereunder

Languages: English [eng]

The subject files of the director's office includes awards, budgets, contracts, correspondence, minutes, manuscripts, photographs, proposals, reports, committee rosters, treasurer's reports, member statistics, articles on research, draft proposals, and surveys relating to comparative system, data collection, and revenue projects (1982-1991); Action Inventory (1987-1991); online search services in public libraries (1980-1982); strategic long-range planning (1979-1980); the Standards Committee (1985-1989); (1992-1997); Fyan, Baber and Ingenta award winners (1983-2009); the Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study (PLFTAS) (2008-2012); the Assessment Household Survey (2009); the Attitudes Toward Public Libraries Survey (2006); the Librarians, Library Technicians and Assistants: Diversity Profile 2000 and 1990 (2006); the Library Usage Omnibus Survey (2007-2012); Membership Research Study (2008); the Purchasing Materials After Using in PL Survey (2007); the Social Media & Mobile Internet Use Among teens and Young Adults Survey (2009); Study of Communications Technologies in Higher Education Final Report (1995); Postsecondary Education Descriptive Analysis Report (2008), and the YALSA PL and School Library Use and Services for Teen Read Week Evaluation (2007).

The Office for Research concentrates on the research needs of the library profession, cooperates with other units of the ALA and works with bodies active in library research (1).  It is charged to carry out three functions: 1) to collect, analyze and interpret data on the ALA and users of its products and services as a basis for organizational decision-making; 2) to collect and promote the collection of statistics on libraries and librarians so that the ALA and other organizations have pertinent and consistent data available to them; and 3) to monitor ongoing research related to libraries and disseminate information about such studies to the profession (2).  In doing so the Office for Research provides advice regarding research and statistics to the Executive Board, Council, and other units of the ALA requesting such advice (3).

The Office has its origins with the Office for Research and Development, which was established in 1965, however a dedicated research office was established in 1973 (4). The Office's formation was approved by Council in 1972 and its first director, Barbara Slanker, was appointed in 1973 (5) and since that time the Office for Research has developed research programs and monitored existing research activities (6).  When assisting units of ALA, the Office prepares proposals, gathers statistical data, and implements survey projects.  The ALA Committee on Research advises the Office for Research on matters of policy and priorities, and presents recommendations on research programs (7).  The Office for Research is under the Deputy Executive Director (8).