A Statistical Analysis of Patrons’ In-Library Information Consumption Behaviors of Print Materials

Patrons’ information consumption behaviors of print materials are influenced by their content and tangible characteristics. This quantitative study incorporates several content-based factors widely adopted in collection management practices as well as two physical dimension–related factors, including book size and number of pages, and applies a series of regression analyses to evaluate the relative impact of these factors on patrons’ checkout versus in-library use decisions. The results suggest that shelf time and book size exhibit consistent and significant impact on patrons’ use of print materials. These findings can shed further light on collection management practices and policies in academic libraries striving to provide patrons more user-centered collections and space.