The purpose of this study is to gain a finer-grained picture and better understanding of the travel patterns of library users, and the activities, demographics, and other factors that affect library access. Previous studies of physical accessibility of public libraries, which have focused on library users' single-destination trips and their travel…

Results of this study evaluating library reference service indicate a statistically significant difference at the .05 level between obtrusive and unobtrusive evaluation methods. Library staff answer a greater proportion of questions correctly when they are aware of being evaluated. The 30 questions used, a report form, and references are included.…

Discusses methodological issues in cross-cultural studies of diverse communities, including language problems, data collection and analysis, sample size, and dissemination of findings. A study of the information-seeking behavior of ethnolinguistic gatekeepers in several communities in California is described. Suggestions are given for public…

This report presents a systematic review of the literacy services of the Vancouver Public Library (British Columbia), both to determine if those activities met the needs and expectations of local adult learners and to see if those activities compared favorably with general standards and with other libraries' literacy services. Data was collected…

Two sophisticated--autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), straight-line regression--and two naive--simple average, monthly average--forecasting techniques were used to forecast monthly circulation totals of 34 public libraries. Comparisons of forecasts and actual totals revealed that ARIMA and monthly average methods had smallest mean…

An evaluation of 275 titles of adult individual biography selected at random reveals no essential correlation between a quality estimate and any of several measures of circulation. The titles were evaluated for their quality by determining whether or not each title was found listed in eight reviewing journals, five book selection tools, and five…

Discusses difficulties involved in locating sources of statistical information on public libraries in Canada and describes a study conducted to identify and evaluate various sources of such information. An 18-item bibliography is provided. (CHC)

Six Arizona county libraries were chosen to participate in a study to investigate the effect of grants on local library funding support. The criteria set for choice of these libraries were: (1) the county library must be the strongest library in the county, (2) the library must have been chartered as a county library for at least three years prior…

Presents results of the Library Crime Research Project, a three-year study of crime and disruption patterns in public libraries in all 50 states. Patterns of crime, costs of crime (direct, indirect), losses due to crime, patterns of security use, and effects of victimization are covered. Three references are listed. (EJS)

Tests hierarchical regression model--library employee's salary is a function of library size, public sector collective bargaining strength, library's ability to pay, cost of living in area, presence of any union and union representing librarians in library--on three salary levels (department head, beginning librarian, clerical worker). (29…

Reviews studies that have attempted to measure levels of community library service, and describes the testing of hypotheses related to the impact of public library system development in Wisconsin on community library services. Conclusions about public library service in Wisconsin and the research methodology used are stated. (16 references) (CLB)

Examines the relationship between personality, as represented by Rotter's internal versus external control of reinforcement (locus of control), and frequency of public library use by university freshmen. Review of literature, hypothesis for study, definitions (independent and dependent variables), methodology and data collection, and findings are…

Proposes and investigates feasibility of using three new variables in addition to simple activity counts in measuring reference services: (1) user questioning regardless of where activity occurs; (2) treating individual user and question as unit of analysis; and (3) examination of questioning in context of other library use. (11 references) (EJS)

Circulation statistics for 198 books randomly selected from nonjuvenile collection at Allerton Public Library were ascertained. Comparison of experimental group (all related catalog entries withdrawn from card catalog) and control group (all catalog entries left intact) showed no statistically significant influence of removal of cards on…

Book condition surveys have been conducted in several large research libraries in the United States to determine the extent of book deterioration in those libraries. This paper outlines the steps for conducting a brittle book survey adapted from more comprehensive surveys to assess the extent of paper brittleness of the book collections in a small…