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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Recurso educativo Open Access |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
1981
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED200191 |
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Table of Contents:
- What Influences Public Library Adult Patrons to Choose the Books They Borrow. Goldhor, Herbert Adults Bibliographies Exhibits Library Circulation Library Collections Library Research Library Surveys Public Libraries Questionnaires Reading Material Selection Tables (Data) Use Studies This study was conducted in l978/79 to test the hypothesis that the circulation of books put in a prominent display location would increase because of the tendency of adults to select books in public libraries by browsing, rather than looking for specific titles. The circulation of all copies of a sample of ll5 titles from the adult individual biography section was recorded for a 3-month period, and each patron returning a sample title was asked to complete a brief questionnaire. In the following three months, 55 titles from the sample were assigned to Group A and displayed on special shelves near the charge desk. Thirty titles designated as Group B were described in a one-page booklist which was widely distributed, and the remaining 30 titles served as a control group. These two groups remained in their normal places on the shelves. Circulation data and user questionnaires were collected for all three groups. Data analyses showed a statistically significant increase in the circulation of Group A during the experimental period; however, an unexpected increase in circulation for Group B resulted in a revised hypothesis to account for additional factors affecting circulation. Extensive data analyses, the questionnaire, and a list of sample titles are included. (BBM)