Survey of Library Furniture Acquisition Practices

Primary Research Group, January 2013, Pages: 117

The Survey of Library Furniture Acquisitions Practices gives highly detailed data for public and academic libraries on their furniture purchasing policies including use of consortium purchases, online purchases, use of auctions and buying and selling of used furniture. The study gives highly detailed data on product choices, views on favored vendors, sources of information on best deals, and the impact of design, price, safety, durability, environmental impact and other considerations in the purchase decision. Survey participants tell of their best furniture purchases, and what they look for in a vendor of particular types of furniture. The survey gives data on buying plans for a broad range of furniture types including children's furniture, carrels, wall hangings, flooring and carpeting, shelves, desks, computer-related furniture and many other types of library furniture. Data is broken out for public and academic libraries and by library overall budget and furniture budget. The study is designed to help librarians answer questions such as: where do I find the best possible furniture and the best possible price? What are our peers buying and what are they satisfied with?

LIST OF TABLES
SURVEY PARTICIPANTS
THE QUESTIONNAIRE
SUMMARY OF MAIN QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS
Characteristics of the Sample
Chapter 1: Overall Spending
Chapter 2: Past Purchases
Chapter 3: Future Purchases
Chapter 4: Selling Used Furniture
Chapter 5: Buying Used or Refurbished Furniture
Chapter 6: Online Purchasing
Chapter 7: Information Sources about Library Furniture
Chapter 8: Best Purchases
Chapter 9: Favored Suppliers & Auctions

This 117-page report gives highly detailed data for public and academic libraries on their furniture purchasing policies including use of consortium purchases, online purchases, use of auctions and buying and selling of used furniture. The study gives highly detailed data on product choices, views on favored vendors, sources of information on best deals, and the impact of design, price, safety, durability, environmental impact and other considerations in the purchase decision. Survey participants tell of their best furniture purchases, and what they look for in a vendor of particular types of furniture. The survey gives data on buying plans for a broad range of furniture types including children's furniture, carrels, wall hangings, flooring and carpeting, shelves, desks, computer-related furniture and many other types of library furniture. Data is broken out for public and academic libraries and by library overall budget and furniture budget. The study is designed to help librarians answer questions such as: where do I find the best possible furniture and the best possible price? What are our peers buying and what are they satisfied with?

Just a few of the many findings from this report are:
- 90 percent of libraries in the sample will purchase chairs in the next three years, while 33.33 percent will purchase couches
- In the coming year, libraries in the sample expect to spend a mean of $193,966 on library furniture
- Nearly 71 percent of libraries in the sample have purchased computer-related furniture in the past three years
- No academic libraries in the sample have purchased a music or audio listening system within the past year
- 16.67 percent of survey participants have purchased furniture or furnishings from Amazon.com, while 56.67 percent have made such purchases through Demco
- In the past three years, 58.06 percent of libraries in the sample have purchased carpeting and 38.71 percent have purchased floor tiles
- Over the past three years, 20 percent of libraries in the sample have sold their used furniture, all of which are public libraries

- Abington Community Library
- Agnes Scott College
- Athens Regional Library System
- Brooklyn College
- Chula Vista Public Library
- Clark University
- Coastal Carolina University
- College of Charleston
- Commerce Township Community Library
- Connors State College
- East Baton Rouge Parish Library
- East Carolina University
- Felician College Library
- Gogebic Community College
- Jefferson County Public Library
- Lebanese American University
- Macomb College
- Mason County District Library
- Metropolitan Library System
- New Braunfels Public Library
- Newport Beach Public Library
- Northborough Free Library
- Poplar Creek Public Library
- Round Rock Public Library
- San Marcos Public Library
- St. Louis Public Library
- Sullivan Free Library
- Mercer University Atlanta
- Utica College
- Wake County Public Libraries
- Williamsburg Regional Library

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