Academic

 A 1962 study repeated the following year of all book charges in a 1-month period in the middle of the semester at Eastern Illinois University showed thata higher percentage of freshmen checked out books than upperclassmen, with 44% (451) of the freshmen checking books out during this 1-month period in 1962, 35% (238) of the sophomores, 36% (226) of the juniors, 35% (15) of the seniors, and 28% (42) of the graduate students. The per capita number of books checked out in each group was 1.8, 1.2, 1.6, 1.4, 1.7, respectively.                 (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thatduring the month 63% (1,849) of the students borrowed no books from the library in 1962 and 62% (2,318) borrowed no books in 1963.                (Source)

A study in academic 1963-64 at the Grand Canyon College (Phoenix, Arizona; 1963 enrollment: 479) of circulation records for 9 weeks showed that468 students checked out a total of 3,181 books. Median per capita = 3 books; average per capita = 6.7 books. Half of the student borrowers—the most active half—accounted for 3,024 circulations (95.1% of the total).               (Source)

A study during winter quarter 1964 of the book circulation records of 50% of the 742 members of the 1963-64 entering freshman class at the California State Polytechnic College (Pomona) showed that, while only 63% of the freshman class returned the following Fall, of those students who had used the library 73.7% returned, compared to the 57% return rate for non-library users.                      (Source)

A 1-year study during 1964-65 at the Yale Medical School Library concerning patron use patterns of library materials (based on 34,825 book/journal circulations) showed that20,563 journal circulations were distributed among members of the medical school as follows (accounting for 74.6% of the journal use):

                full-time faculty                                 32.0% journal uses

                students                                            27.2% journal uses

                house officers                                   11.6% journal uses

                part-time faculty                                 3.8% journal uses                (Source)

        Ibid…. showed that14,262 book circulations were distributed among members of the medical school as follows (accounting for 51.7% of the book use):

                students                                              24.6% book uses

                full-time faculty                                    17.6% book uses

                house officers                                        6.5% book uses

                part-time faculty                                    3.0% book uses                 (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thatthe per capita book and journal use (over 1 year’s time) was as follows:

                students                            10.0 journals;        6.3 books

                full-time faculty                  11.9 journals;        4.6 books

                house officers                      7.9 journals;        3.1 books

                part-time faculty                  1.6 journals;        0.8 books                 (Source)

A 1972 study of Map Room use at Southern Illinois University during Summer and Fall quarters, involving the circulation of 2,721 maps and aerial photos to 223 borrowers, showed that borrowers were: undergraduates (44%), graduate students (32%), and faculty (19%). However, graduate students accounted for 72% of the loans, undergraduates for 16%, and faculty for 10%.                        (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thatborrowers (students and faculty) were “widely scattered in approximately 40 departments.” The largest number of borrowers came from the Forestry Department and involved 23 individuals or 10% of the borrowing population.                    (Source)

        Ibid…. showed that, in terms of broad areas, 58 (26%) borrowers (students and faculty) came from the social sciences, 52 (23%) from the sciences, 37 (17%) from the applied sciences, 24 (11%) from education, and 22 (10%) from humanities.                          (Source)

A 1972-75 study at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, of map and aerial photograph circulation from the Map Room showed thatfor all 3 years (1972-73, 1973-74, and 1974-75) undergraduate circulation consistently increased with academic status. Freshmen borrowed less than sophomores, sophomores less than juniors, and juniors less than seniors.                         (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thatover the 3-year period undergraduates made up 49-52% of the borrowers in any given year, graduate students made up of 25-28% of the borrowers, faculty made up 12-15% of the borrowers, and “other” made up 8-11% of the borrowers.              (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thatover the 3-year period undergraduates accounted for 34-38% of the borrowing in any given year, graduates accounted for 30-38% of the borrowing, faculty accounted for 14-22% of the borrowing, and “other” accounted for 8-14% of the borrowing.                  (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thateach year the proportion of male to female borrowers was “about 80% male, 20% female, although university enrollment was 36-38% female during this period.”                  (Source)

A study of business students (undergraduates and graduates) at University of Delaware, University of Maryland, and Wright State University in 1975 showed thatless than 50% of the students rated themselves frequent borrowers of library materials.                 (Source)

A study reported in 1978 at the University of Pittsburgh of 98% + of its circulation records for the book/monograph collection during the period October 1968-December 1975 (1,500,000 total circulations) showed thatbook/monograph usage by academic status was as follows:

                undergraduates                                      40% total usage

                graduate students                                   33% total usage

                faculty                                                  4-5% total usage

                all others                                               15% total usage                (Source)

A study reported in 1980 at Emporia State University (Kansas), involving book and periodical use data for 1 year, showed thatthe ratio between periodical and book use for the major user groups was as follows: undergraduate students, 2.1 to 1; graduate students, 1.6 to 1; and faculty, 7.4 to 1.                       (Source)

Special

A 1-year study during 1964-65 at the Yale Medical School Library concerning patron use patterns of library materials (based on 34,825 book/journal circulations) showed that20,563 journal circulations were distributed among members of the medical school as follows (accounting for 74.6% of the journal use):

                full-time faculty                                 32.0% journal uses

                students                                            27.2% journal uses

                house officers                                   11.6% journal uses

                part-time faculty                                 3.8% journal uses                (Source)

        Ibid…. showed that14,262 book circulations were distributed among members of the medical school as follows (accounting for 51.7% of the book use):

                students                                              24.6% book uses

                full-time faculty                                    17.6% book uses

                house officers                                        6.5% book uses

                part-time faculty                                    3.0% book uses                (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thatthe per capita book and journal use (over 1 year’s time) was as follows:

                students                          10.0 journals;        6.3 books

                full-time faculty                11.9 journals;        4.6 books

                house officers                   7.9 journals;        3.1 books

                part-time faculty               1.6 journals;        0.8 books                 (Source)

Dr. David Kohl

 "Libraries in the digital age are experiencing the most profound transformation since ancient Mesopotamian scribes first began gathering and organizing cuneiform tablets."

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