The Collection and Dissemination of Library Statistics by the National Center for Education Statistics

It is noted that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and libraries have a mutual mission: the collection and dissemination of information in formats that are useful to the information needs of the public. This report discusses the NCES' mission statement in these terms and describes its broad-based data gathering program, which maintains seven cross-sectional databases and three major longitudinal studies databases. Results and highlights from the surveys of academic, public, and school libraries/media centers are then provided. Ways in which NCES disseminates data to three types of data users are also described: (1) information is provided in reports, conference presentations, seminars, electronic bulletin boards (BBSs) and briefings for "passive public users," who need statistical information that describes education, shows trends or progress, and helps people understand trends in the condition of education; (2) information on the availability of raw data for manipulation is provided via catalogs, announcements, data tapes, computer disks, and BBSs for "micro-data users," who need information to analyze relationships, identify questions for future study, and/or validate preliminary research findings; and (3) information is often prepared by NCES to provide details not included in current publications for "active public users," who need statistical information to answer questions that require currently available data. Concluding the report is a list of addresses and telephone numbers of places where NCES products are available together with the titles and series numbers of recently released data tapes. (MAB)