Welcome to the CEAL Statistics Database

The Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL) Statistics is an annual publication of statistical data of East Asian libraries and museum collections (volumes held, volumes added gross, current serials, other materials, electronic resources), expenditures (expenditures and grant support), staffing, and services in North America. CEAL annual statistics have been collected and published annually in the Journal of East Asian Libraries (JEAL) since the late 1980s. The online statistics database covers CEAL statistics from 1999 to present with a parallel hard copy publication of CEAL statistics in the February issue of JEAL, the CEAL official publication.  Pre 1999 statistics data was added in 2007.  The database includes North American East Asian libraries and museums collection statistics published from 1957 to present and contains statistical data from 1869 to present. Quick Views, Simple Search, Advanced Search in Table and Graph displays, PDF, and Log-in Views (collection ranking and peer comparison) have been added for easy access.  Collection data can be subdivided by region and funding type.  The CEAL collection grand total can be viewed from 1957 to present in addition to collection median and average data. The variety of the statistical data collected is similar to that collected by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and is included in ARL's annual statistics. The scope of the CEAL statistics focuses on East Asian libraries and collections and especially Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages resources, staffing, and service to support East Asian studies in North America.  

The database is searchable, with results viewable and printable in table (numbers) and graph formats. Member libraries (with password access) can view library rankings in categories of collection size, expenditures, and grant funding with filters for library type (public or private), and/or geographical region, etc. The database is also serves as a directory of East Asian collections information. The data series is the most comprehensive continuing library statistical dataset among area studies collections in North America. Statistical data published in PDF are available from the web site

The CEAL Statistics site has been created and maintained by the CEAL Statistics Committee located at the University of Kansas Libraries, Lawrence, KS since 1999.

  • For new users of this database, please click here for more information.
  • Certain data, such as tables with derived statistical data, can only be accessed by members. Please contact us for information about membership.

Searching the database:

  • Quick View - Provides a quick view on the statistics of all institutions, containing information about total materials held (including serials).
  • Table View (Basic) - Search the database with year(s) and libraries, and view all the data and fields available in individual tables.
  • Table View (Advance) - Search the database with year(s) and libraries, and view the data available in individual tables. Unlike basic view, fields to display can be customized.
  • Graph View (Basic) - Search the database and view the data available as graphs.
  • Graph View (Advanced) - Search the database and view the data available as graphs .Unlike basic view, fields to display can be customized.
  • PDF - View published data in PDF.
  • Participating Libraries - Contains the list of CEAL participants along with information of CEAL forms submitted, sorted by year.
  • Library Information - View information of CEAL participants.

CEAL Statistics by Council on East Asian Libraries Statistics is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Attribution - You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
Based on a work at https://ceal.ku.edu/

The University of Kansas' Center for East Asian Studies Title VI grant has supported the CEAL Statistics Database program upgrades and enhancements since 2005. For 2023, it provided the cost for database server change and enhancement. This vital support keeps the database working for East Asian libraries in North America to gather and disseminate data for not only East Asian collection personnel, but also for scholars, researchers, and grant agencies.