AbstractThis article is an inter-institutional study of patrons’ browsing behavior in two university libraries. We tested an unobtrusive method of measuring browsing over one semester and provided comparative data for the two institutions during the same time period. Data were based on pre-selected samples of prominent monographs and representative serials in several disciplines. By design, a substantial portion of each corresponding sample overlapped between the two institutions. The results revealed extremely low frequencies of browsing in both institutions. This conclusion was supported in all disciplines, both for works shared in the corresponding samples and unique selections. The study combined methodological refinement with an extension beyond our previous research. Although presenting a method for discerning trends in student behavior, in the broadest terms the study has direct bearing on the uses of print resources and collection development assessment during a time of unprecedented expansion of ...