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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">The Department of Education recently provided notice of a proposal to make changes to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Report, which would include ”the planned elimination of the
Academic Libraries (AL) survey beginning in the 2025–26 administration.” The removal is couched in terms of the paperwork reduction act, assessment of the “impact of information collection requirements,” as well “the public's reporting burden.” Elimination
of the AL component of IPEDS reporting would be detrimental to academic libraries nationwide and potentially sends a message that libraries are not valuable. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-ligatures:none">The DOE notice includes a request for public comment on this proposal. Public comments are accepted until
<b>May 3, 2024</b>, via</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-ligatures:none">the Federal Register at
<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.federalregister.gov%2Fdocuments%2F2024%2F03%2F04%2F2024-04509%2Fagency-information-collection-activities-comment-request-integrated-postsecondary-education-data&data=05%7C02%7Cfla-facrl%40lists.fsu.edu%7Cce4f786649e84ff3044208dc5b3ec2a3%7Ca36450ebdb0642a78d1b026719f701e3%7C0%7C0%7C638485572336021271%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ksX692ld25ZxokkSydXrZLu3yXVwutb9vP%2FF7PteSvI%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/04/2024-04509/agency-information-collection-activities-comment-request-integrated-postsecondary-education-data" shash="owTWoGPY9NZZbQgdPVMmjVl4Unz6FN3MwLVM7p+fOiJdkSIxZYmkCQyvSi2aTP1666GWxWecnZPGCn//btp0D/AOI5YJK+Hp4fBYoaJ0hnWp0BJXF3V4hd7lFAdXD33V2AGrhY7+8mm34BikkvZXBvvmCpOccY/RS1LRqzC76h8=">
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/04/2024-04509/agency-information-collection-activities-comment-request-integrated-postsecondary-education-data</a>.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Here are some <span style="color:#1F1F1F">
key points regarding the impact of eliminating this dataset from the Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC):</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Assessment and Accreditation:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> The data from IPEDS is critical for accurate assessment of libraries within their own institution; for comparisons with libraries at peer institutions;
and for both regional and discipline-specific accreditation reviews.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Benchmarking and Advocacy:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> Library data allows librarians to compare collections, staffing, budgets, and services across institutions (especially peer institutions). This data is
essential for demonstrating the value of libraries and advocating for their needs when requesting funding or making comparisons.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Comprehensiveness:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association, collects library data annually however, it is not mandatory
for libraries to submit data to ACRL and there is a fee to access the reporting platform. IPEDS data is mandatory and allows libraries who cannot afford ACRL to participate. IPEDS data is essential for a comprehensive, national view of trends in libraries,
especially for data related to collections, staffing, funding, salary comparisons, etc.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Importance for Research:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> Library data in IPEDS is crucial for longitudinal research studies in graduate programs in library and information science and among library professionals,
some of which are federally funded. These federally funded programs likely could not continue without access to IPEDS data that is updated annually. Data is also used to support other grants and grant funded library research.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<b><span style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-ligatures:none">Educational Tool:</span></b><span style="color:#1F1F1F;mso-ligatures:none"> Library data is used in graduate school curriculums in library and information science to teach students how to gather and submit data,
which is essential for their future careers and the future of academic librarianship in the United States.</span><o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">We encourage you to leave a comment if you feel the elimination of the Academic Libraries component of IPEDS would be detrimental. Please pass along to colleagues or other stakeholders as you deem fit.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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