Monday 19 November 2007

Libraries dump 2m volumes, by Rebecca Attwood

A rush to liberate space for e-learning suites is blamed for disposal of printed material. Rebecca Attwood reports. Universities dispose of more than 1.8 million books and journals a year, according to official figures. Statistics obtained by The Times Higher show that 36 institutions got rid of more books and printed volumes than they acquired. In 2005-06, ten universities disposed of more than 40,000 items. Dundee University disposed of 100,035 items and acquired 18,067 hard-copy texts in the year. Bangor University withdrew 55,500 items from reader use, Ulster University withdrew 50,493, and Imperial College London 48,911, according to figures from the Society of College, National, and University Libraries (Sconul).
Published: 16 November 2007
Contributor: S. van der Walt

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