Still working my way through the CIPFA stats. Every step is the more depressing. Our issue (=checkout) figures are up; our active patronage is good but the stock actually on loan is low and visitor counts are down.
Evidently, people come in, join the library, take out a book or two, then renew them repeatedly by 'phone or online until such time as they have no alternative but to return the books (anything rather than come back to the library which has evidently traumatised them).
So, like a fool, I check the circulation system... We don't get a high proportion of repeat trade.
2 comments:
Cow recently went to a regional library commission, kind of a super-library. They had a bunch of books there Cow wanted to read and even more she'd like to check out for the future.
But.
This library is only open Monday-Friday 8-5. The same time Cow works. And they don't have a night-deposit slot where you can return books after hours.
And, they don't have a cooperative agreement with any of the local libraries to return books returned there, to them. God forbid.
So, Cow regretfully just returned the first batch of books without checking out anymore. It is just too much of a hassle.
Moo!
Damn! You've already figured out our lending library business model.
I suspect industrial espionage!
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