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Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter Saur December 4, 2007

Measuring University Library Efficiency Using Data Envelopment Analysis

  • Gerhard Reichmann
From the journal Libri

In this paper we analyse the technical efficiency of 118 randomly selected university libraries from German-speaking countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) and English-speaking countries (the United States, Australia and Canada) using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). DEA efficiency scores are calculated using library staff, measured in full-time equivalents, and book materials held as inputs, and the number of serial subscriptions, total circulations, regular opening hours per week, and book materials added as outputs. Among the 118 university libraries analysed 10 are rated fully efficient. However, comparing group-specific efficiency scores, there are no significant differences between libraries from English-speaking and German-speaking countries or between small and large university libraries.


Gerhard Reichmann is assistant professor at the Institute of Information Science, Graz University, Universitaetsstrasse 15/F3, A-8010 Graz, Austria; Tel.: +43 316 380 3563, Fax: +43 316 380 9575, E-mail:

Received: 2003-04-14
Received: 2004-03-11
Accepted: 2004-03-18
Published Online: 2007-12-04
Published in Print: 2004-June

© 2004 by K. G. Saur Verlag GmbH, Federal Republic of Germany

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