Explanation of ratios

 

Volumes to students & faculty
Total number of printed paper volumes held by a library at the end of the designated fiscal year divided by the combined student and faculty FTE reported by the institution for that year.

Volumes added to students & faculty
Total number of printed paper volumes acquired by a library during the designated fiscal year divided by the combined student and faculty FTE reported by the institution for that year.

Materials expenditures to students & faculty
Total dollars spent by a library on books, journals, AV items, electronic resources, etc. during the designated fiscal year divided by the combined student and faculty FTE reported by the institution for that year.

% budget expenditure on materials
Total dollars spent by a library on books, journals, AV items, electronic resources, etc. during the designated fiscal year divided by the total dollars spent by the library that year for all purposes (staff, operating expenses, materials, computers, furniture, etc.).

Library staff to students & faculty
Total FTE library positions, including student workers, reported for the designated fiscal year divided by the combined student and faculty FTE reported by the institution for that year.

Circulation to students & faculty
Number of items lent from the general collection and reserves during the designated fiscal year divided by the combined student and faculty FTE reported by the institution for that year.

ILL borrowing to students & faculty
Number of items obtained by the library through interlibrary loan during the designated year divided by the combined student and faculty FTE reported for that year.

ILL lending to borrowing
Number of items provided to other libraries through inter-library loan during the designated fiscal year divided by the number of items obtained by the library through interlibrary loan during that year.

Reference questions to students & faculty
Number of reference transactions logged by staff during the designated year divided by the combined student and faculty FTE reported for that year. (In some cases the figures were extrapolated from sample data.)

Note: The fiscal year for academic institutions typically runs from July 1st to June 30th.