Count the Traffic

What do users do at the library? 

Tord HøivikOslo University College 

What do users do at the library?

• Librarians have very little systematic information about what goes on inside their libraries.  

• We need a cheap and simple method to gather such data.  

 Walk through the library at regular intervals • - with a list of observable activities• - write down how many people are engaged in

each activity• - in the different parts of the library (zones)

Seating sweeps

 1. Leckie, G.J. & Hopkins, J. The public place of central

libraries: Findings from Toronto and Vancouver. Library Quarterly, 72 (2002), pp. 326-372.

– Given, Lisa M. and Gloria J. Leckie. “Sweeping” the library: Mapping the social activity space of the public library. Library & Information Science Research. Vol. 25, Issue 4, Winter 2003, pp. 365-385.

We need five tools

1. A list of activities2. A floor plan covering all the public areas of the library. The

plan should be divided into functional zones: reception area, newspaper section, children’s books, etc.

3. Time plan, with dates and times for all observation rounds (”sweeps”).

4. Observation forms. The form combines the zones, on one axis, with the activities, on the other. Observers fill in one form per observation round.

5. Guidelines for observing activities and entering data.

List of activities 1 to 5

1. Walks or stands alone. Covers standing or walking around without browsing and without relating to library staff or other users.2. Walks or stands in company. Participates in a group of two or more persons that stands or walks around without browsing and without relating to library staff.3. Sits alone. Sits alone without relating to media, to library staff or to other users.4. Sits in a group without media. Participates in a group of two or more persons that does not relate to books or other media or to library staff.5. Browses alone. Covers browsing or scanning of items on shelves while standing or walking around.

List of activities 6 to 10

6. Browses in company. Participates in a group of two or more persons that browse or scan items on shelves together while standing or walking around.7. Sits alone reading (or writing) . Sits and reads by her/himself. Includes individual work - reading and or writing - without using ICT. Includes listening to music, watching videos and using other media - but not the use of computers.8. Sits in a group with media. Participates in a group where at least one person relates to books or other media.9. Sits alone with own computer. Sits alone with active mobile computer (active screen).10. Sits in a group with own computer(s). Participates in a group where at least one person is using a PC 

List of activities 11-15

11. Sits alone with library computer. Sits alone with active computer 12. Sits in a group with library computer(s). Participates in a group of two or more persons that is using one or more library PCs 13. Contact with staff. Covers all direct contact with staff. 14. Queuing. Covers all visible waiting for service or facilities15. Other activities. Activities not covered by 1-14.

Time plan

1. Count at regular intervals2. Once an hour gives a good picture of variations through the

day3. Cover all days of the week4. If you can do this twice, you get a better sense of variations5. Disperse the counting days as much as possible  6. In this way you catch variations through terms and seasons7. You also avoid random highs and lows 8. - because of the weather, sports events, etc. 

The zones

Divide the floor space into functional areas - like 1.entrance area– counter area– newspapers and periodicals– reference section– children's section– teenager section– adults, fiction– adults, non-fiction ... 

Observation forms

• MAKTABA observation sheet

Three consistent findings

1. the actual use of computers - including personal (mobile) computers - was higher than expected2. the frequency of activities in groups - involving children and students in particular - was higher than expected3. purely social activities - not involving computers or media - were higher than expected

The "classical" user

• Walks or stands alone. Covers standing or walking around without browsing and without relating to library staff or other users.

• Sits alone. Sits alone without relating to media, to library staff or to other users.

• Browses alone. Covers browsing or scanning of items on shelves while standing or walking around.

• Sits alone reading (or writing) . Sits and reads by her/himself. 

• Contact with staff.Covers all direct contact with staff. • Queuing. Covers all visible waiting for service or facilities,

whether in a proper line or not: waiting for staff, waiting for access to equipment, toilet queues, aso.

The social user

• Walks or stands in company. Participates in a group of two or more persons that stands or walks around without browsing and without relating to library staff.

• Sits in a group without media. Participates in a group of two or more persons that does not relate to books or other media or to library staff.

• Browses in company. Participates in a group of two or more persons that browse or scan items on shelves together while standing or walking around.

• Sits in a group with media. Participates in a group where at least one person relates to books or other media.

• Sits in a group with own computer(s). • Sits in a group with library computer(s).

The digital user

• Sits alone with own computer. Sits alone with active mobile computer (active screen).

• Sits in a group with own computer(s). Participates in a group where at least one person is using a PC of their own (active screen).

• Sits alone with library computer. Sits alone with active computer (active screen).

• Sits in a group with library computer(s). Participates in a group of two or more persons that is using one or more library PCs (active screen).

Drammen library

Pattern 

• Classical use: 32 percent of the time• Social use: 42 percent• Digital use: 41 percent

 Note • Contact with staff: 3 percent• Social & digital: 17 percent• Average stay: 45 minutes

Ringerike public library

Pattern: Ringerike (Drammen)

• Classical use: 45 percent (32) • Social use: 38 percent (42) • Digital use: 32 percent (41)

 Note • Contact with staff: 6 percent (3) • Social & digital: 14 percent (17)•  Average stay: 18 minutes (45)

Youth 3.0 = Ungtrenull (in Norwegian)

• Photo set

Kongsberg public library

Pattern: Kongsberg - Ringerike - Drammen

• Classical use: 39 percent - 45 - 32 • Social use: 39 percent - 38 - 42 • Digital use: 32 percent - 32 - 41

 Note • Contact with staff: 4 percent - 6 - 3 • Social & digital: 11 percent - 14 - 17•  Average stay: 55 minutes - 18 - 45

Sør-Varanger public library.

Sør-Varanger - Kongsberg - Ringerike - Drammen

• Classical use: 42 percent - 39 - 45 - 32 • Social use: 29 percent - 39 - 38 - 42 • Digital use: 38 percent - 32 - 32 - 41

 Note • Contact with staff: 8 percent - 4 - 6 - 3 • Social & digital: 11 percent - 11- 14 -17

  

Sandefjord public library

Pattern Sandefjord - average of five PLs

• Classical use: 48 percent - 41 • Social use: 28 percent - 35 • Digital use: 36 percent - 36

 Note • Contact with staff:  4 percent - 5 • Social & digital: 13 percent - 13 •  Average stay: 43 minutes

Drammen children/family (ground fl.)

Pattern • Classical use: 36 percent • Social use: 45 percent • Digital use: 28 percent

 Note • Contact with staff: 6 percent • Social & digital: 12 percent

Drammen adult/youth (1st floor)

Pattern 

• Classical use: 33 percent (36) • Social use: 31 percent (45) • Digital use: 43 percent (28)

 Note • Contact with staff: 3 percent (6) • Social & digital: 10 percent (12)•  Own computer: 10 percent (4)

Drammen students (2nd floor)

Pattern (2nd - 1st - Gnd)• Classical use: 30 percent (33 - 36) • Social use: 50 percent (31 - 45) • Digital use: 42 percent (43 - 28)

 Note (2nd - 1st - Gnd) • Contact with staff: 2 percent (3 - 6) • Social & digital: 23 percent (10 - 12)• Own computer: 30 percent (10 - 4)

A student commented

• I’ve realized that the loans do not reveal everything; • loans are only a small part of the activities that take place in

a library. • Many people use the library as a place for work and study or

as a social meeting place. • This shows that the library is an important institution, even if

this does not appear in the lending statistics.

Resources

• Given, Lisa M. and Gloria J. Leckie (2003). “Sweeping” the library: Mapping the social activity space of the public library. Library & Information Science Research. Vol. 25, Issue 4, Winter, pp. 365-385. .

• Høivik, Tord (2007). Numbers that count. Selecting and using service indicators for public library development. Materials for a workshop at the 7th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services,Spier Wine Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa, August 13-16.

• Høivik, Tord (2008). Count the traffic. Paper on IFLA server (PDF)• CounT The Traffic (TTT). Tord Høivik's resource page

Contact

Blog in English: • Pliny the Librarian: http://pliny.wordpress.com/

'Blog in Norwegian: • Plinius: http://plinius.wordpress.com  

 E-mail • e-mail: tordhoivik@gmail.com •  • Cell phone•  • 0047 97 54 37 21 •