Library Use Status Report

I have compiled an analysis regarding the use being made of the Penn Valley Friends Library during the 21 months since the collection was computerized. The results may be of interest to members of Meeting. I have organized the results around three questions and drawn a conclusion about the future of the library.

What types of books have been checked out? Of the 61 books checked out during this time, 59 (or 97%) were books about Quakerism, including books written by members of the Meeting. The remaining two books were from the category "Peace and Social Concerns. No books from the other categories were checked out.

What is the frequency of borrowing? During the first full year under the new system, an average of 4 books were checked out each month. During the last 9 months, 2 books were checked out each month.

How many are using the library? During the first 12 months, 10 individuals checked out books. However, most of these books (81%) were checked out by 5 individuals.

Conclusion: given the limited space we have available for books (all of the shelves are full, and there is little additional space for shelving in the library), priorities will have to be set about what books the Meeting will add to its collection. The current use being made of the library suggests that the top priority should be books about Quakerism and books by members of Meeting.

— prepared by Neil Nelson, Convener