Loss Rate

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There is no "standard" rate of book loss, not that ALA has established--and we don't believe that any other organizations have attempted to create such a figure. The reasoning and extent in reporting library theft varies, and so a national figure might not be reliable. Such statistics are only collected locally, and not on a national basis, so we must rely on general articles to describe the extent of the problem.

There are various surveys that have been performed over the years, but without any regularity or periodicity. Circulation, Interlibrary Loan, Patron Use, and Collection Management: A Handbook for Library Management, by David F. Kohl (Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 1986) reports a range of research studies relating to loss rates. While no rate is "acceptable," what is typical, based on these studies is a loss of .15% to .5% per year; or overall loss rates of 4-8% when an inventory, or inventory sample, is conducted periodically.

In her book Managing Overdues, Patsy J. Hansel extrapolates from surveys she conducted to posit a national "overdue rate" of .7 percent pre-automation and .4 for post-automation to suggest a national loss of 6.28 million items, or $125.6 million at a rate of $20 per book. The number of items was based on 1994 NCES circulation data.

Finally, Richard Boss in his 1999 report on library security technologies cites an "anecdotal" figure of a 3% loss rate which Judith Gelertner extends to being a $70,000 a year cost for a 50,000 volume collection, using 2005 book replacement cost figures.

Some selected references to articles on this subject include:

Boss, Richard W. "Security Technologies for Libraries: Policy Concerns and a Survey of Available Products," Library Technology Reports 35, no. 3 (1999), pp. 271-356.

Gelernter, Judith. "Loss Prevention Strategies for the 21st Century Library." Information Outlook v.9, no. 12 (2005) pp. 12-22.

Hansel, Patsy J. Managing overdues : a how-to-do-it manual for librarians. (New York : Neal-Schuman, c1998)

Kohl, David F. Circulation, Interlibrary Loan, Patron Use, and Collection Management: A Handbook for Library Management (Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 1986)

Luurtsema, David. "Dealing with Book Loss in an Academic Library." Library & Archival Security. 14, no. 1, (1997): 21 ff

Mosley, Shelley, Anna Caggiano and John Charles. "The 'self-weeding' collection: The ongoing problem of library theft, and how to fight back". Library Journal v121n17 (Oct 15, 1996): 38-40

O'Neill, Edward T. and Wesley L. Boomgaarden. "Book Deterioration and Loss: Magnitude and Characteristics in Ohio Libraries." Library Resources & Technical Services. 39, no. 4, (1995): 394 ff.

Stack, Michael J. "Library Theft Detection Systems--Future Trends and Present Strategies." Library and Archival Security 14:2 (1998), p. 25-37.

Van Gemert, Edward V. "Where have all the 'lost' books gone?" College & Research Libraries News v57n9 (Oct 15, 1996): 38-40

Weihs, Jean. "Theft in the Library, Part One: Problem Users." Technicalities 27, no. 4 (July/August 2007), p. 7-10.

Weihs, Jean. "Theft in the Library, Part One: Library Staff Thieves." Technicalities 27, no. 6 (November/December 2007), p. 9-11.

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