Analysis of Concentrations of Loans by Using Book Circulation Data in Korea University Library

Ji-Ann Yang

doi:10.3390/publications8040053

Abstract

In this paper, data of almost 8 million loans of books recorded for 15 years by the Korea University Library are analyzed by using big data analytic techniques. During this period, book circulation decreased with an average annual rate of decline of 4.4%. The use factor of books in each Dewey decimal classification (DDC) class was evaluated to measure how efficiently books were used by library users. Loan frequencies of books were analyzed and meaningful results regarding loan concentrations and the half-lives of books were obtained. It was observed that 50% of the total loans in each year were for 20% of all borrowed books in that year. This phenomenon will be called the 20/50 loan rule, and the set of the top 20% most borrowed books, whose cumulative loan frequencies reach 50% of total loans, will be called a core collection. The 20/50 loan rule shows the loan concentration of library books. The extent of loan concentration gets stronger if loans for two or more consecutive years are concerned. It was found that with high probability, books in a core collection at a specific year are also categorized as a core collection in next years. Moreover, books categorized as a core collection in consecutive years have longer half-lives compared with all other circulating books.

Highlights

The library collection is the most important part the various elements that make up a library.Most libraries have difficulties in providing users with optimal collections due to their limited budgets and space problems caused by increases in the volume of books
This study aims to find circulation patterns of library users based on the circulation data of print books with a big data analysis method
The number of books registered in the Korea University Library increased gradually every year

Summary

Introduction

The library collection is the most important part the various elements that make up a library.Most libraries have difficulties in providing users with optimal collections due to their limited budgets and space problems caused by increases in the volume of books. Collection development has become one of the most difficult tasks for librarians To overcome these issues, library are trying to organize user-centered collections by analyzing book use patterns and grasping users’ preferences for collections. Recent changes in the library information environment have diversified resource types and information delivery methods, and have changed the information-seeking behaviors of users affected by information technology [1,2,3] Due to these effects, the use of e-books or electronic resources has increased every year, while the use of printed books has decreased every year. A more detailed analysis of circulation data is needed to develop print collections effectively as the use of electronic materials increases. A library has a vast collection of materials, and at the same time, users produce vast amounts of circulation data every day using

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