General

A pilot study at the Library of Congress in 1960 of patron stack use based on a random sample (sample size 200; 181 responding) of patrons in the book stacks showed that55% were in the stacks to obtain specific books for which they already knew the call numbers, while 38% were browsers. (The remainder were there for both or other reasons.) The majority of patrons in the stacks for work-related reasons were looking for specific books; the majority (57%) in the stacks for recreational or other non-work related reasons were browsers. 123 (68%) of the sample were LC employees.                  (Source)

Academic

A survey reported in 1977 of moderate-sized (120,000-500,000 volumes) U.S. academic libraries listed in the 1972-73 American Library Directory (survey size: 200; responding: 147 or 74%) showed that, for current-issue stack areas, 118 libraries (80%) reported open stacks; 16 (11%) reported closed stacks; and 13 (9%) reported some “other” arrangement. For bound volume stack areas, 139 (95%) libraries reported open stacks; 5 (3%) libraries reported closed stacks; and 1 (0.7%) library reported “other” arrangement.                 (Source)

A study reported in 1978 at Indiana University, Bloomington, of materials requested through a delivery service to faculty in the political science and economics departments during a 32-month period (October 1972-June 1975), involving 39 political scientists and 14 economists (40-50% of the faculty in the departments) and 5,478 articles from 620 different journals and newspapers, showed thatavailability of the materials requested on the delivery service, based on 2,544 requests and a library policy that does not allow periodicals to circulate outside of the library, was as follows:

                90% of the material was immediately available;

                98% of the material was ultimately available from the library’s holdings;

                and an additional 1% was available through interlibrary loan.                    (Source)

A study reported in 1980 over a 6-year period (1973-1978) at West Virginia University main library concerning the effect of switching from closed to open stacks in 1976 with a collection of just under 1 million volumes of primarily humanities and social science materials showed thatannual nonreserve circulation decreased from 194,899 in 1973 to 146,949 in 1978. During this period a substantial growth in enrollment took place.                         (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thatloss rate and disorder did not appear to increase under the open stack system. Specifically, for books requested on the delivery system the number that could not be accounted for during the closed stacks system (1974, no number of requests given) was 15.0%, while 2 studies of books requested on the delivery system after the stacks were opened showed 11.2% unavailable in 1977 and 12.2% unavailable in 1978 (no number of requests given).                   (Source)

        Ibid…. showed thatbuilding use increased after the switch to open stacks. Specifically, in 1973 the annual building use was 431,285 patrons, while in 1978 the annual building use was 500,178 patrons, even though circulation decreased during this period.                         (Source)

A 1981 survey of academic libraries selected randomly from OCLC academic library participants concerning the issue of university collections, i.e., collections of publications by the university’s own faculty and affiliates (sample size: 184; responding: 103 or 56%) showed that61% of the respondents reported their university collections were housed in closed access areas, with 79% reporting that the material was noncirculating. However, 86 (83%) did report purchasing duplicates of the university collection for circulation.                       (Source)

Special

A 1974 survey of a random sample of U.S. museum libraries (including history, art, and science museums) listed in the 1973 Official Museum Directory (population: 2,556; sample size: 856; responding: 374 or 43.7%) showed that46% reported open stacks; 49% reported closed stacks; and 5% reported open stacks with restrictions. Further, 76% of the libraries did not lend 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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