Primary Research Group has published The Survey of Library Services for Distance Learning Programs, 2011-12 Edition, ISBN 1-57440-175-0.

The report looks closely at how libraries are servicing distance learning programs. The report presents hard data on materials purchasing for distance learning students, use of eBooks and videos, the impact of distance learning on licensing of resources, the provision of information literacy classes and tutorials, shipping costs, relations with faculty and students, staffing and budgeting, and many other facets of distance learning librarianship.

Just a few of the many findings from this 154-page report are:

• More than 50% of college libraries sampled offered some type of training program or special class to distance learning students.
  
• 72.73% of colleges with 500-2,000 distance learning students had a distance learning webpage on their website that catered specifically to the needs of distance learning students.
  
• Online courses in information literacy were offered by 28.24% of colleges in the sample; 40% of colleges with less than 2,000 students enrolled offered them.
  
• 77.78% of research universities offered video tutorials in information literacy, and public colleges offered them somewhat more than private colleges did.
• No college with less than 500 distance learning students specifically allocated funds for distance learners in its budget.
• 4-year degree-granting colleges and MA- and PhD-granting colleges were the most critical of their efforts to cater to distance learners, with 62.5% and 60% saying that they should be doing more.

Data is the nearly 100-page report is based on a survey of more than 75 academic libraries. Data is broken out by type of college, size of the total student population, and size of the distance learning program. To view a table of contents and an excerpt, or to order, visit the publication's page here.