Analysis of the Demand for Russian Literature in Shanghai Library

Abstract

This research focuses on Shanghai Library users’ demand for Russian literature of different literary periods. Method of sampling and questionnaire were applied for the study. Analyzing the online circulation records of Chinese translations of Russian literature in the main collection of Shanghai Library from 2016 to 2019 and providing an overview of reader demographics are two major tasks. As a typical example, the circulation records of 2019 are thoroughly examined. The aim of the study is to identify the level of demand for Russian literature at various times and the factors influencing the changing trend of demand. The results obtained from the research show that despite the large total number of visitors and the frequency of use of the main collection, the demand for Russian literature was relatively low, especially when compared with other foreign authors. Russian literature from the 19th century and Soviet literature are in the highest demand. Readers didn’t show an obvious interest in contemporary Russian authors. The demand for these three types of authors is clearly uneven. Russian-American writers, as a special group, are also popular choice of readers. The largest reader group consists of middle-aged women. Male readers have a more steadfast and clear preference for one particular author than female readers do. The demand for Russian literature in the library is influenced by such factors, as age and gender, the spread of culture through mass media and social networks, and reading promotion practices by libraries. These factors interact with each other.