TY - JOUR
T1 - The relationships between the expenditures and resources of public libraries and children’s and young adults’ use
T2 - An exploratory analysis of Institute of Museum and Library Services public library statistics data
AU - Joo, Soohyung
AU - Cahill, Maria
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2017.
PY - 2019/6/1
Y1 - 2019/6/1
N2 - Children’s librarians have long recognized the value of libraries for the development of children and adolescents and have championed for appropriate funding to support programs and services targeted to children, adolescents, and families. Using data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Public Library Survey, this study examined the relationships between the expenditures and resources of public libraries and children’s and young adults’ use. Three groups of variables were chosen from the dataset to represent expenditures, resources, and children’s and young adults’ library use respectively. Correlation analysis results reveal that most of the expenditures and resources variables were significantly correlated with children’s and young adults’ library use in libraries of all sizes. Further, analyses of material circulation and program attendance rates reveal that children’s materials account for more than one-third of total library material circulations and 70% of public library program participants attend programs designed for children. The findings of this study provide empirical evidence to support the investment in library resources and services for children and young adults and are discussed in light of expansion of library services and programming focused on informal learning.
AB - Children’s librarians have long recognized the value of libraries for the development of children and adolescents and have championed for appropriate funding to support programs and services targeted to children, adolescents, and families. Using data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Public Library Survey, this study examined the relationships between the expenditures and resources of public libraries and children’s and young adults’ use. Three groups of variables were chosen from the dataset to represent expenditures, resources, and children’s and young adults’ library use respectively. Correlation analysis results reveal that most of the expenditures and resources variables were significantly correlated with children’s and young adults’ library use in libraries of all sizes. Further, analyses of material circulation and program attendance rates reveal that children’s materials account for more than one-third of total library material circulations and 70% of public library program participants attend programs designed for children. The findings of this study provide empirical evidence to support the investment in library resources and services for children and young adults and are discussed in light of expansion of library services and programming focused on informal learning.
KW - Children
KW - Institute of Museum and Library Services
KW - library resources
KW - public library
KW - young adults
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85065826697&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1177/0961000617709057
DO - 10.1177/0961000617709057
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85065826697
SN - 0961-0006
VL - 51
SP - 307
EP - 316
JO - Journal of Librarianship and Information Science
JF - Journal of Librarianship and Information Science
IS - 2
ER -