New roles for an academic library: current measurements
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to detail the experience of a rising gate count at a departmental science and engineering library while many traditional user statistics show the now familiar decline.
Design/methodology/approach
Library and material‐use statistics gathered continuously over an eight‐year period along with data from a user exit survey describe the many changes in the patterns of use at academic libraries.
Findings
Data confirm that the in‐house use of print material will continue to decline in the face of rising gate counts. Discussion identifies probable causes of the continued rise in gate count.
Research limitations/implications
A description of the environment and causes for findings are available for future comparisons.
Practical implications
Anecdotal and informal observations were confirmed with the analysis of data. Taken together, these two forms of reporting support timely management decision making.
Originality/value
The paper provides baseline data for librarians evaluating “library as place” innovations.
Keywords
Citation
Opperman, B.V. and Jamison, M. (2008), "New roles for an academic library: current measurements", New Library World, Vol. 109 No. 11/12, pp. 559-573. https://doi.org/10.1108/03074800810921368
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited