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HKUST Library - Facts & Figures

During the past two months, the Library has sent out two emails to the faculty advising them not to forward any new requests to the Library as a result of the recent budget reduction imposed by the University Administration.

This 11extra" issue, intended for internal circulation only, is prepared as a follow-up to those two emails. It provides you with some facts and figures on the history and present allocation of the library materials budget; the pertinent services offered to complement the collection; and the current state of the Library collection. Some information on how the HKUST Library compares with the other Hong Kong academic institutions is also included.

Figure 1: Library Material Budget, 1990 - 1998

Allocated BTE Supplemental Materials Budget Funds Year-End Funds TOTAL

1990/91 $36,012,598 $36,012,598 1991/92 $26,700,000 $26,700,000

1992/93 $36,230,000 $3,073,193 $39,303,193 1993/94 $35,000,000 $8,918,899 $43,918,899 1994/95 $30,000,000 $989,263 $15,940,000 $46,929,263

1995/96 $20,000,000 $2,599,939 $4,000,000 $26,599,939 1996/97 $30,000,000 $2,116,978 $32, 116,978 1997/98 $35,000,000 $600,000 ($1,815,000) $33,785,000

1998/99 $20,000,000

The Library materials expenditure averaged $35 .6 million in each of the past seven years. In 1994/95, an extra surplus fund, in the amount of close to $16 million was given to the Library. Consequently, the materials budget in the following year, 1995/96, reflected a $15 million reduction.

The Library of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology I

Figure 2: Print Journal Expenditures for 1996/97

Engineering 24%

Social Science 5%

61%

Science and Engineering titles accounted for 85% of the periodical expenditure.

For the number of journal subscriptions of each academic department, see Figure 5.

Figure 3: Database Expenditures for 1996/97

The expenditures for online searching including Lexis­Nexis, Reuters, and Dialog are funded under a separate account and are not included in this chart.

lnter·Disciplinary 15%

Social Science 8%

Humanities 5%

15%

Science 22%

Engineering 35%

Figure 4: Monograph Expenditures for 1996/97

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Humanities 19%

Social Science

Engineering 26%

Science Engineering Business Humanities & Soc. Sci.

Avg. Cost/Book $549.98 $459.31 $321.69 $187.36

The average cost per book in Social Science and Humanities is substantially lower than the books in Science and Engineering. Therefore, it was possible to acquire more books in Humanities and Social Science than that of Science and Engineering.

Figure 5: Print Journal Subscriptions for 1996/97

DepartmenUDivision/School

School of Science Biochemistry Biology Chemistry Mathematics Physics Science {General}

Sub-Total

School of Engineering Chemical Engineering Civil & Structural Engineering Electrical & Electronic Engineering Industrial Engineering Mechanical Engineering Computer Science Engineering {General)

Sub-Total

School of Business and Management

School of Humanities & Social Sciences Division of Humanities Division of Social Science

Sub-Total

Other Education Journals General Journals Library Science Journals

Sub-Total

Total Print Journals

Expenditure No. of Titles (HK$) for 1996/97 1996/97

125 801,030.84 285 2,211,350.08 183 2,203,905.24 233 1,536, 713.53 179 2,101,414.09 65 173,513.33

1070 9,027,927.11

112 866,850.26 167 965,015.11 193 457,300.17 37 120,069.36

115 500,481.00 146 512,272.14 36 114,389.84

806 3,536,377.88

381 927,499.35

370 227,875.00 362 666, 750.16 732 894,625.16

44 61,919.62 86 345,636.17 49 65,923.33

179 473,479.12

3168 14,859,908.62

% of Total Print Journal

Expenditures 1996/97

5.39% 14.88% 14.83% 10.34% 14.14% 1.17%

60.75%

5.83% 6.49% 3.08% 0.81% 3.37% 3.45% 0.77%

23.80%

6.24%

1.53% 4.49% 6.02%

0.42% 2.33% 0.44% 3.19%

100.00%

No. of Faculty 1996/97

19 26 25 40 32

1 143

17 27 51 18 24 44 4

185

153

24 27 51

532

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Figure 6: Projected Expenditures for 1998/99 1997/98° 1998/99

Est. Ex enditures Pro·ected Needs Books $10,851,000 $11,393,550 Periodicals $16,786,000 $18,464,600 Databases $4,300,000 $4,730,000 Media $792,000 $500,000 Microforms $456,000 $400,000 Total '/, · /;\$33:}asfOocY ;,;:· ',:S,$35,4884 50}

· The 1997/98 Bud et was reduced from $35 million.

It is estimated that in 1997 /98, 33% of the materials budget was spent on books, 51 % on journals, 13% on databases and 3% on media and microforms. Based on the publishing patterns of the past five years, an estimated inflation rate of 10% for periodicals and databases and 5% for books are included in the budget forecast.

Figure 7: Comparison of Library Materials Budget for UGC Member Libraries

Chinese University of Hong Kong City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Polytechnic University HKUST

1997/98 Bud et

$51,000,000 $37,000,000 $42,000,000 $33, 185,000 $56,000,000

1998/99 Bud et

$53,500,000 $41,000,000 $48,000,000 $20,000,000

N/A

The budget figure for the University of Hong Kong is an estimated figure derived from a South China Morning Post article earlier this year.

Figure 8: Comparison of Print Periodical Subscriptions among UGC and Other Libraries

University of Hong Kong Chinese University City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Polytechnic University HKUST*

MIT Virginia Tech Georgia Tech

14,228 9,652 8,608 7,772 3,651

21,000 18,737 12,726

The number of journal subscriptions in HKUST remains small. We rely heavily on interlibrary loan to supplement our journal collection.

Figure 9: Table of Lending and Borrowing Activities with Local Libraries, 1996/97

Borrowed from Lent to

HKUST HK UST

University of 1487 1680

Hong Kong

Chinese University 1046 2956

of Hong Kong

Hong Kong 3296 1627

Polytechnic University

City University 1325 725

of Hong Kong

Hong Kong Baptist 625 447

University

Lingnan College 231 172

Hong Kong Institute 11 28

of Education

Others 746 24

Total 8767 7659

This table depicts ILL support received from local libraries. It also illustrates that the HKUST Library collection is pertinent to the needs of the other Hong Kong academic institutions.

Over 80% of the inter-lending activity consists of the photocopying of journal articles. Special arrangements have been made with CUHK to permit HKUST Library staff to make copies of journal articles on their premises.

Figure 10: Book Collection Circulation for Calendar Year 1997

Number of Number of Volumes Circulations

Science Biochemistry 9,020 5,485 Biology 16,210 7,324 Chemistry 5,362 4,826 Mathematics 11,579 10,689 Physics 11,031 5,804 Science (Genr) 5,000 1,225

Sub-Total 58,202 35,353

Engineering Chemical Engr 5,079 3,365 Civil Engr 13,132 12,426 Computer Science 9,182 8,029 Electrical Engr 7,334 10,417 Engineering (Genr) 2,615 3,036 Industrial Engr 3,115 2,689 Mechanical Engr 3,805 2,765

Sub-Total 44,262 42,727

Business Accounting 1,865 1,795 Economics 26,666 9,550 Finance 5,047 5,166 Management 12,823 10,087

Marketing 2,039 2,246 Sub-Total 48,440 28,844

Humanities 141,237 44,668

Social Science 47,179 16,688

General 6,289 5,274

Total 345,609 173,554

As a young library, HKUST has a relatively small book collection. Statistics reveal that this small collection is being used quite heavily.

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Figure 11: Comparison of UGC Libra ry Staffing and Opening Hours

Profe s

ssional taff

University of Hong Kong 4 2 Chinese University of Hong Kong 3 2

Hong Kong Polytechnic University City University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

24 21 22

Support Total Staff Staff

182 224 173 205 139 163 112 133 81 103

1 The number of hours the Library is open each week d uring the regular school session

Open Hours per Week1

89 83

84.5 84 93

The staffing figures in this chart are taken from a survey Kong. The number of HKUST staff has been increased

conducted in 1995 by City University of Hong to 1 09 due to the provision of new services,

and the o enin of the Universi Archives.

Figure 12: Libra ry Classes

Library Classes 1995-1998

Jul 95- Jun 96 Jul 96- Jun 97 Jul 97- A r 98

Details of Library Classes 1997 UG Classes

Business Engineering Huma & Sosc Science All Schools

PG Classes Business Engineering Huma & Sosc Science All Schools

Open Workshops Research Skills Ext el Job Hunting Web CNA UNexis, Reuters.TDC Microforms

Total

Sessions Attendees 98 1812

103 4167 139 4595

/1998

25 929 4 534 3 36 4 62

27 1293

18 455 5 98 2 32 0 0 2 147

1 13 4 130 4 221

14 180 2 51 6 114

18 300 139 4595