In the context of statistical research into the economic value of public library services, a model was developed to demonstrate the economic benefit when books are borrowed rather than bought. The model is based on the number of book reads rather than on book purchases or library issue counts....

The content and quality of 28 Slovenian public library Web pages were studied in 2001 and 2002. The research was performed by students of Department of Library and Information Science and Book Studies (University of Ljubljana). In that way, student ability of Web page evaluation was also tested....

Possible reasons for the decline in annual adult book issues from UK public libraries are reviewed. Annual book issues have been decreasing since 1980, due mainly to a decrease in issues of adult fiction and, to a lesser extent, adult non‐fiction. Possible intrinsic causes include cuts in book...

Annual book issues from UK public libraries have been decreasing since 1980, due mainly to decreases in issues of adult fiction and, to a lesser extent, adult non‐fiction. This paper describes an analysis of trends from 1980 to 1998 in annual book issues and selected factors that may have...

Purpose – An empirical study has shown that the real process of subject cataloging does not correspond entirely to theoretical descriptions in textbooks and international standards. The purpose of this is paper is to address the issue of whether it be possible for catalogers who have not...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the provision of audiovisual materials in UK public libraries and their economic value. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey of all the public library authorities in the UK was used to investigate current provision of...

Purpose – The authors aim to apply a collectivist theoretical framework to the study of human information behaviour and the construction of meaning in a knitting group held in a branch of a large Canadian (Ontario) public library. Design/methodology/approach – The research design was...

Purpose – Librarians and the library profession keep repeating that libraries contribute greatly to generating social capital by “building community”. However, little evidence of this has been presented. This paper aims to be a first step towards correcting this situation by asking whether...