TS 2144

TS 2144 is a documentation standard focused on international library statistics and on the common treatment of the data used to describe library services in a comparable way. It covers the statistics used in the libraries defined in Clause 2(a), so its subject is not a single library process but the shared structure for collecting and presenting library data.

Core concepts behind library statistics

Library statistics are used to interpret key indicators such as collection size, use levels, user counts, lending activity, and service capacity within one consistent framework. In practice, these figures support benchmarking, planning, and service evaluation across public, academic, and other information-service libraries. The international-statistics approach helps ensure that the same terms carry the same meaning across different institutions and countries, which is essential for comparable reporting.

Technical role of this standard

Linked as equivalent to ISO 2789:1974, this TSE standard provides a terminology and classification framework aligned with international library-statistics practice. Standards of this kind typically clarify what is counted, how data categories are organised, and how comparability is preserved. Its withdrawn status shows that it belongs to the historical development of standardised library statistics, while the subject remains relevant wherever library data need to be classified consistently.