Development of methods to collect and analyze quantitative data on the information-seeking behavior of public library users

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26330367
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Library and information science/Humanistic social informatics
• Research Institution: Toyo University (2017); Surugadai University (2014-2016)
• Principal Investigator: SUGIE Noriko 東洋大学, 文学部, 准教授 (50383295)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 公共図書館 / 利用者調査 / 位置情報 / 情報探索行動 / 情報サービス / 図書館利用者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to establish methods of collecting and analyzing quantitative data on the information-seeking behavior of public library users. After considering the advantages and disadvantages of some of the techniques presently available to record users’ locations, iBeacon and the Raspberry Pi computer were chosen to collect data. We performed an experiment that involved setting the number and location of the Raspberry Pis and developed a system to identify users’ locations in a public library. The user study was conducted on 56 subjects during January and February in 2018 under these conditions. The location of the subjects and visiting frequency per location were collected. Further analysis of how long library patrons stay in one place and the books they borrowed is needed.

Free Research Field

図書館情報学