The economic downturn and libraries: An international survey

Abstract

There is some concern that libraries, particularly university libraries, are facing a very bleak future because of the word-wide economic downturn. Much of the evidence regarding the economic problems and consequent impacts is parochial, far from robust, and there is a suspicion of stakeholders talking the situation up. This paper presents robust and independent evidence on the extent to which libraries from around the world are experiencing financial hardship, the impacts that result, and what the future looks like. Comparative analyses are made on the grounds of country, sector, and size of institution. The particular situation of university libraries is highlighted and the implications of the findings are examined from the perspective of scholarly publishers. © Ian Rowlands and David Nicholas 2010.