About the 1994 Academic Library Data File

August 1998

(NCES 98-270)

File Content:

The academic library statistics on this data file are for fiscal year 1994, including library operating expenditures, library collection, and library loan transactions. Information on library staff and services as of the fall of 1994 is also included.

The academic library survey is conducted biennially by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The U.S. Bureau of the Census is the data collection agent for IPEDS. Data are collected from postsecondary education institutions in the United States and its outlying areas.

There are 3,708 records on the file, each containing information on an institution of higher education in the United States or its outlying areas.

Approximately 6.3% or 209 of the 3,303 institutions with academic libraries had all variables imputed on the final academic library file. The highest number of institutions with all variables imputed in a state was 16% or 48 institutions in California. The highest percentage of nonresponse in a state was 25% or 4 nonresponding institutions in the District of Columbia.

The 1994 Academic Library data file is saved in a standard dBASE format, a SAS data file, and in ASCII format (flat file). The file has been compressed using a program called PKZIP.

The institutional records fall into the following response categories (RSTATUS) for the 1994 IPEDS academic library survey.

RSTATUS-01   academic library respondent -- 3,360

RSTATUS-02   institution has no library of its own
	     but provides support to and uses the
	     academic library of another institution.
	     The host institution is identified by the
	     UNITIDX and has an RSTATUS of 05. -- 134

RSTATUS-03   institution did not respond to the 1994 academic
	     library survey and was not imputed. -- 0

RSTATUS-04   nonrespondent, imputed        -- 137
             Institution did not respond to the 1994 academic 
             Library survey and was imputed.

RSTATUS-05   joint library respondent:     -- 77

The following files are included:

The first three MS Word files are documentation files and are included in each of the three zipped files. Please select the zip format of your choice and you will also receive each of these three MS Word files.

varlist.doc - The list of variables with their definitions and their location in the data file (record layout). The data items from the 1994 IPEDS Academic Library Survey form are in the order that they appear on the form.

ipcodes.doc - Defines the standard IPEDS codes including region and State codes including State abbreviations.

Methfile.doc – A description of the methodology used in the creation of the 1994 academic library data file.

94_DBF.ZIP - The data file compressed. It decompresses to a dBASE or .dbf file. The file takes up to 5 mega-bytes of disk space after decompression. The institution's UNITID code provides the link to data from all of the other IPEDS surveys.

94_TXT.ZIP - The same data file compressed but it decompresses to an ASCII or flat file for the user who prefers this to a dBASE file.

94_SAS.ZIP – The same data file compressed but it decompresses to a SAS data file.

For more information about the content of this report, contact Barbara Holton at Barbara.Holton@ed.gov.