The Library as Strategic Investment: Results of the Illinois Return on Investment Study

Abstract

University administrators are asking library directors to demonstrate their library's value to the institution in easily articulated quantitative terms that focus on outputs rather than on traditionally reported input measures. This paper reports on a study undertaken at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that sought to measure the return on the university's investment in its library. The study sought to develop a quantitative measure that recognizes the library's value in supporting the university's strategic goals, using grant income generated by faculty using library materials. It also sought to confirm the benefits of using electronic resources and the resulting impact on productivity over a 10-year period. The results of this study, which is believed to be the first of its kind, represent only one piece of the answer to the challenge of representing the university's total return from its investment in its library.

Demonstrating the financial impact of clinical libraries: a systematic review

“…These articles contained many good ideas for aspects of library operations that can be measured, including indicators that are of interest to contemporary managers. Papers by Hershey, Kaufman, Aabo, ALIA, Bryant and Allen were assessed as informative but of variable quality and lacking in adequate supporting evidence. Gardois, Medernach, Marshall, Gray and Sievert provided evidence of the intangible benefits or the intrinsic value of clinical libraries but did not identify relevant values or costs of service delivery.…”

Relationships between consumption, publication and impact in French universities in a value perspective: a bibliometric analysis

“…Previous studies have been conducted to answer questions such as "if one euro or more is invested, how many dollars or euros come back as income?" (Luther 2008) (Kaufman 2008). It has been more related to a perspective where income can take the shape of grants, for instance (Tenopir et al 2010).…”

The High Cost of Science Journals: A Case Study and Discussion

“…A study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign determined a return of $4.38 in grant income to the university for every dollar invested in the library in 2006 (Luther, 2008;Kaufman, 2008). A subsequent study of nine universities showed variation in ROI based on grant money, ranging from 64 cents per dollar invested to $15 per dollar invested (Tenopir et al, 2010).…”