Robert E. Molyneux has established at the Library Research Service a huge archive of U.S. library data from fiscal year 1987 to fiscal year 2008. The archive also includes a section of hard-to-find library data reports dating back to 1973. The relevant archive page notes:
A number of the publications here are the results of scans and conversion of the orginals into pdf files. We are all particularly indebted to Barbara Holton of NCES for these fugitive documents. Too many bore a handwritten note: “Only copy.”
Library data offer important insights into the development of the information economy. Like Robert Coen did for advertising data, Robert Molyneux has worked for years to collect and organize library data. Everyone can benefit from this publicly available knowledge.
Related: some older U.S. library data