Replies to This Forum

Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on May 29, 2013 at 20:26

Dear Sri Arulraj R,

As you know that statistics are "mute speakers" as I see them. Because they silently speaks many things which words can not express. Library Statistics are also no exception. Rather, library statistics often speaks to provide befitting replies to many criticisms good and bad alike!

However, preparing monthly statistics on routine basis may not be that much helpful for outsiders as it might be for internal staff to take a stock of the situation. Since I have no idea about your library, I am providing a generalized account of a library where most of the work are done manually & never-the-less, my suggestions are based upon economy as well.

1) Collect some used & discarded photocopy papers where one face is printed & the other face is white,

2)  Prepare a proforma of "issue slip"  in a 10.cm X 7.5 cm format and you will find that in an A4 size paper SIX such proforma will be accommodated.

3) Get a print out of this and use the white side of the discarded photocopy papers & prepare copies of  the issue slip proforma.

4) Put serial numbers to each of the issue slips and cut them to make six individual copies out of one discarded photocopy papers.

5) Ask your users to liberally use the issue slips for requisition of books & after service collect used use slips in a box

6) After a week see the serial numbers of issue slips provided to users & make a note

6A) Now count the Used issue slips kept in the box/envelop. & see the difference in 6 & 6A. This will help you to understand the wastage of issue slips So that while preparing statistics, you can understand how many or what percentage of issue slips are potentially used.   From this number you will be able to understand the actual number of books used for consultation in the reading room

average no of Circulation of books is easily available & hence I am not going through it.

Now coming back to the statistics of types of materials used, if you go through the used issue slips the title of the documents & their call No. & Acc No. you will be able to under stand the following
(a) from titles: Types of materials (books/Reports/Working Papers/ Conference Proceedings etc.)

(b) From Call No.: Subjects Usage (How many books of which subjects are used) so that you can understand the focus of users' community. At the same time you will be able to understand about the strong & weak areas of your collection & can plan for better collection development policies.

(c) From Accession No. : Which of the books are most popular/usable among users (This data will help you to understand about a cluster of the most sought after books. Besides, you can ask for purchase of multiple copies of these books with adequate justification. Additionally, you can put more vigil such books for loss or mutilation.

In short these are some of the ways you can prepare useful library statistics. However, with variations of the nature of the Library & its clientele, planning of statistics can be suitably modified.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Digambar Bhaurao Waghmare on May 31, 2013 at 16:40

Dear Friend,

I attached herewith format of Library Monthly Report

Thanks & Regards,

Digambar B Waghmare  

Attachments:

• monthly report.docx, 14 KB

• ▶ Reply