When and where: Patron use of computer banks and study rooms

This article details the utilization of student workers to conduct patron population surveys of library computer banks and study rooms at the Clark Memorial Library at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth Ohio. The number of patrons was counted by student employees at hourly intervals over three ten-day periods, garnering 9,295 separate observations with little interruption in day-to-day work flow. The survey resulted in a far more detailed portrait of library usage than is possible with simple gate statistics. Results indicate that usage is heaviest from Monday through Wednesday for both computer banks and study rooms and lowest on Friday and Saturday before climbing sharply on Saturday. Results also seem to show a student preference for study rooms on higher floors of the library.
Introduction It has become apparent that libraries play an important role in student retention. As an important 'point of contact' for the university, libraries are evolving from research sites alone [...]