NEWS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE             DATE: 08/09/06 CONTACT : LESLIE SCHALER, COMMUNICATION ASST., (413) 545-0162  UMASS AMHERST LIBRARIES IMPROVE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS AND RAISE $1 MILLION Amherst, MA – The Association of Research Libraries (ARL), a prestigious organization of top North American research libraries, has ranked the UMass Amherst Libraries 85th among 113 ARL academic members for 2005 — a 20 point improvement in two years.  In 2004, the Libraries ranked 92nd and in both 2003 and 2002 ranked 105th.  “This year's upward movement can probably be best attributed to our continuing to add electronic journals, recent salary increases, and filling some vacant positions” says Director of Libraries Jay Schafer.  All rankings are based on five key factors: total number of volumes held; gross volumes added; current serials received; total operating expenditures; and the number of staff.  The UMass Amherst Libraries’ success is also reflected in its fundraising, with an all time high of $1.1 million raised in fiscal year 06.  The success of the new Learning Commons in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library has attracted corporate donors such as Microsoft, who awarded the Library a $600,000 grant, and individual donors who launched the new 21st Century Library Technology Endowment.  The new endowment will help fund the expansion of the Learning Commons, the installation of wireless access throughout the Du Bois Library, and the creation of a multi-media center. The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of research libraries at comprehensive, research-extensive institutions in the U.S. and Canada.  ARL’s mission is to advance the goals of its member research libraries, providing leadership in public and information policy to the scholarly and higher education communities and fostering the exchange of ideas and expertise.