Public

A study reported in 1979 at the Oklahoma City/County Metropolitan Library System showed thatduring FY 1978-79, for an uncataloged paperback collection of 76,862 items, each item circulated an average of 4.75 times during the year. This compares to an average circulation of 2.31 times per item during the same period for a collection of 465,326 cataloged hardback books.      (Source)

        Ibid…. showed that, during the month of July 1979, the average number of circulations per volume for 15,784 cataloged adult hardback volumes purchased in FY 1976-77 was .25, for 18,163 volumes purchased in FY 1977-78 was .33, and for 18,569 volumes purchased in FY 1978-79 was .64. This compares to the average number of circulations per volume for adult uncataloged paperbacks of .32 for a group of 6,743 volumes purchased in FY 1976-77, .54 for a group of 11,760 volumes purchased in FY 1977-78, and .87 for 19,138 volumes purchased in FY 1978-79.    (Source)

        Ibid…. showed that, during the month of July 1979, the average number of circulations per volume for 4,723 juvenile cataloged hardback volumes purchased in FY 1976-77 was 1.20, for 4,777 volumes purchased in FY 1977-78 was 1.18, and for 4,771 volumes purchased in 1978-79 was 1.28. This compares to the average number of circulations per volumes for juvenile uncataloged paperbacks of .79 for 2,973 volumes purchased in FY 1976-77, 1.06 for 3,349 volumes purchased in FY 1977-78, and 1.09 for 3,037 volumes purchased in FY 1978-79.                  (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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