Contact: Melissa Cox Norris, Director of Library Communications, (513) 556-1558 or melissa.norris@uc.edu
July 17, 2006 – At #47, the University of Cincinnati Libraries retain “top 50” status among the 113 U.S. and Canadian research university libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). In 1993/94, UC’s libraries (University Libraries, Academic Health Center Libraries, and the Law Library) were ranked #78.
“Breaking into the top 50 in 2001 was the realization of a long-standing goal of the university,” said Victoria A. Montavon, dean and university librarian. “The university’s commitment to academic and research excellence is the key factor to achieving this level of recognition for five consecutive years. The administration understands the need to invest in the books, journals, databases, and other resources students and faculty need for success in teaching, learning, and research.”
ARL considered five major indicators in compiling its rankings for 2004/05: total number of volumes held, volumes added, current serials, total library expenditures, and staffing. In addition, ARL benchmarks such areas as reference transactions, circulation of books and other items, interlibrary lending, and library instruction.
Four other Ohio research libraries are included in the 2004/05 ARL rankings: Ohio State University (25), Ohio University (98), Case Western Reserve University (107), and Kent State University (111). The top five ARL libraries for 2004/05 are Harvard, Yale, Toronto, Columbia, and Michigan.
The Association of Research Libraries mission is to “influence the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the diverse communities they serve.” The University of Cincinnati was one of its founding members when the association was established in 1932.-- ### --
Return to list of press releases