For each year, I averaged the faculty sizes of the reported fall and spring terms among the ABA data, excluding the Puerto Rico schools. Full-time faculty (including "others" before 2014) declined from 9,028 in 2011 to 7,932 in 2015, almost a 14% decline in four years. That is hardly surprising. Part-time faculty, including adjuncts, remained fairly flat, hovering around 9,100.

But "deans, librarians, and other who teach"? It's a somewhat nebulous category, identified by one recent ABA key as "law school administrators who teach at least half-time. Administrators who neither teach nor hold faculty rank are not included in these numbers. Administrators who teach are typically at the school and available to students during the entire year." It's this category that's seen a 16% increase, from 1,752 personnel in 2011 to 2,032 in 2015.

Averaged out, the typical law school has lost about five faculty in the last four years, but the typical law school has also gained a teaching administrator or two in that same period.

UPDATE: A few have wondered whether it's a terribly useful consideration as the category includes "librarians." True, but recall that the definition extends to "administrators who teach at least half-time." Librarians who do not teach at least half-time would not be included. But I suppose it's possible that one could conclude that there has been a surge in law librarians as part-time faculty in the last few years.

UPDATE: Several commenters have offered alternative inferences to be derived from the data. I encourage you to consider their thoughtful perspective.