ALISE Statistical Report

Database Financing

In 2008 ALISE entered into an agreement with the University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies for generation of the annual Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report. Part of the vision for the Alabama SLIS role as ALISE Statistical Data Coordinator was realization of the goal of moving data gathering and reporting to an online database system, which was in fact part of the original statistics initiative in 1980.

At the 2011 ALISE Annual Conference in San Diego, Dr. Danny P. Wallace, who is leading the statistics project for Alabama SLIS, was invited to meet with the Council of Deans, Directors, and Program Chairs. Dr. Wallace described the need for funding to support the database initiative and the failure of IMLS to fund a grant proposal for the ALISE statistics submitted in Fall 2009. Dr. Stephen Bajjaly, Director of Wayne State SLIS, proposed that each of the ALISE member schools provide a one-time contribution to fund creation and implementation of a database system. A straw vote indicated substantial support from the schools for Dr. Bajjaly’s proposal.

The ALISE Board is pleased to note that work on the database system has moved forward with the support of Alabama SLIS. This project cannot be completed and implemented, however, without the support of the member schools. The Board is requesting that each school make a one-time contribution within the school’s means. The recommended contribution is $350. Dr. Wallace reports that, with this level of support, it is reasonable to anticipate that the database system will be available for entry of data for the Fall 2011 annual data gathering cycle.

ALISE headquarters will soon be sending invoices to all institutional members for their contribution. We are asking that this contribution be paid by Friday, September 30, 2011 so that this project may stay on schedule and be available for data entry for Fall 2011.

We appreciate your commitment to an online tool, which should greatly facilitate the data collection process, and enhance both the quality and timeliness of information important to your school.