Re: FW: R&D spending and library spending

[JOHANNES VELTEROP <velteropvonleyden@btinternet.com>]

Dear Chuck,

Interesting figures, and I'm pleased I was wrong with regard to 
the ARL serials spending increases in the period of 1986-2001.

However, looking at the more recent period of 1998-2003, for 
which I quoted the R&D spending increases, the ARL figures show 
something that is perhaps a bit puzzling.

R&D spending went up by an average of 9.15% each year; ARL 
serials spending by an average of 7.16% each year; Average unit 
price for serials went up by an average of just under 1% each 
year; And the number of serials subscribed to by an average of 5% 
each year.

Now, where has the 'serials crisis' gone (at least for the ARL)?

Jan Velterop

PS. Toby Green is absolutely right to point out that these 
figures, and the original graph that makes the comparison with 
general price indices, are of very limited value if they aren't 
taking global funding, spending, inflation, cost developments et 
cetera into account.

"Hamaker, Chuck" <cahamake@email.uncc.edu> wrote:

> http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind04/append/c5/at05-02.xls
> Science & Engineering Indicators, 2004
>
> Support for Academic R&D: current dollars.
>
> 1986	$10,928 (in millions of dollars)
> 2001	$32,723 (in millions of dollars)
> Ratio: 2001/1986	2.986
>
> http://www.arl.org/stats/arlstat/04pub/04intro.html
> ARL Average library expenditures for serials
>
> 1986	$1,496,775
> 2001	$4,939,225
> Ratio 2001/1986	3.29
>
> I think this means ARL libraries average expenditures for 
> serials have been running ahead of Academic R&D dollar 
> increases.
>
> Chuck Hamaker
> Associate University Librarian Collections and
> Technical Services
> Atkins Library
> University of North Carolina Charlotte
> Charlotte, NC 28223
> phone 704 687-2825