Using GIS to Measure In-Library Book-Use Behavior

Authors

  • Jingfeng Xia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v23i4.9663

Abstract

This article is an attempt to develop Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techology into an analytical tool for examining the relationships between the height of the bookshelves and the behavior of library readers in utilizing books within a library. The tool would contain a database to store book-use information and some GIS maps to represent bookshelves. Upon analyzing the data stored in the database, different frequencies of book use across bookshelf layers are displayed on the maps. The tool would provide a wonderful means of visualization through which analysts can quickly realize the spatial distribution of books used in a library. This article reveals that readers tend to pull books out of the bookshelf layers that are easily reachable by human eyes and hands, and thus opens some issues for librarians to reconsider the management of library collections.

References

E. E. Nkereuwem and U. Eteng, "The Application of Operations Research in Library Management: A Case Study of In-library Book Use," Library Review 43,

no. 6 (1994): 37-43.

W. S. Pierce, Furnishing the Library Interior (New York, N.Y.: Dekker, 1980): 141-42.

A. K. Jain, A Statistical Study of Book Use (Ph.D. diss., Purdue University, 1967), 128.

W. E. McGrath, "Correlating the Subject of Books Taken Out Of and Used Within an Openstock Library," College and Research Libraries 32, no. 4 (1971): 280-85.

E. E. Nkereuwem and U. Eteng, "Operations Research in Library Management."

H. H. Fussier and J. L. Simon, Patterns in the Use of Books in Large Research Libraries (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Pr., 1969); A. K. Jain, "Sampling In-library Book Use," Journal of the American Society for Information Science 23, no. 3 (1972): 150-55.

M. C. Drott, "Random Sampling: A Tool for Library Research," College and Research Libraries 30, no. 2 (1969): 119-25 ; H. H. Fussier and J. L. Simon, Patterns in the Use of Books; A. K. Jain, "Sampling Inlibrary Book Use," Journal of the American Society for Information Science 23, no. 3 (1972): 150-55; P. M. Morse, Library; Effectiveness: A System Approach (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Pr., 1968); C. A. Salverson, "The Relevance of Statistics Library Evaluation," College and Research Libraries 30, no. 4 (1969): 352-61.

R. W. Boss, "RFID Technology for Libraries (Radio Frequency Identification Systems)," Library Technology Reports 39, no. 6 (2003): 1-56.

K. C. Kowal, "Tapping the Web for GIS and Mapping Technologies: For All Levels of Libraries and Users (Geographic Information Systems)," Information Technology and Libraries 21, no. 3 (2002): 109-15.

CivicTechnologies. Accessed Oct. 16, 2004, www.civictechnologies.com/librarydecision/index.cfm.

Jingfeng Xia, "GIS in the Management of Library Pick-up Books," Library Hi Tech 22, no. 2 (2004): 209-16; Jingfeng Xia, "Library Space Management: A GIS Proposal ," Library Hi Tech 22, no. 4 (2004); Jingfeng Xia, "Locating Library Items by GIS Technology," (Under Review) .

More descriptions about collection arrangements of MacKimmie Library can be found in reference 11, "GIS in the Management of Library Pick-up Books."

E. E. Nkereuwem and U. Eteng ,"Operations Research in Library Management."

McGrath also excluded periodicals from his survey on in-library book use. W. E. McGrath, "Correlating the Subject of Books Taken Out of and Used Within an Openstock Library."

W. S. Pierce, Furnishing the Library Interior.

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Published

2017-09-17

How to Cite

Xia, J. (2017). Using GIS to Measure In-Library Book-Use Behavior. Information Technology and Libraries, 23(4), 184–191. https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v23i4.9663

Issue

Section

Communications