• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.379-400
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• 2021

This study aims to analyze the trend of library use according to the expansion of public library infrastructure in Korea, and to search for new roles and services of libraries based on the results of the study. Using the statistical analysis, literature review and partially interview method, the number of borrowers and loans from 2009 to 2019 were analyzed. The result of the survey reveals that the number of public libraries increased by 61.3% during the survey period, while the number of borrowers decreased by 57.5%, and the number of book loans increased only by 18.2%. The result of the analysis claims that the causes of the decrease in the number of materials borrowers were an error in the process of inputting statistics and manipulating the number of book loans by the local library. The population of children and young adults decreased during the survey period, which led to a decrease in the number of children and young adult borrowers. The result of the study reveals that the increase in the use of public libraries in Korea, like other advanced countries, is stagnant. The following new roles and services are suggested for the development of public libraries: Libraries expand non-face-to-face services and electronic resources, and promote their use. Libraries expand cultural and lifelong learning programs further.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.311-334
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to present the theoretical basis and quantified objective standards for the establishment of collection management policy. The study results are summarized as follows. Most of the study books were in the form of periodicals as a steady seller. Most of the steady sellers were textbooks which published periodically. As a modern novel, a steady seller was able to confirm the phenomenon of dependence on a specific author. Bestsellers were investigated to be influenced by publishers and authors. Books of publishers that publish comics and children's textbooks had a significant correlation with the selection of bestsellers. The average number of recommended books borrowed per recommended book was 14,871. The average number of loans per book selected as a bestseller was 53,531. Based on the loan data, about 80-82% of all top-tier loans were covered by 90%, and about 27-29% of all top-ranked loans were covered by 50%. This shows that the Pareto Principle can be firmly applied to public library lending patterns. Loans in the field of literature accounted for 50.6% of the total loans. Among literature, Korean literature accounted for 51.3% of the total. The natural sciences were generating more loans with a relatively small pool of literature compared to other subject fields.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.1-24
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• 2023

In a situation with reducing numbers of students and local universities in crisis, this study aims to analyze collection and loan usage data in small-sized university libraries and present evidence for guiding their collection development policy. The data was collected from Rinfo from 2010 to 2022 regarding the numbers of enrolled students, collected books, book loans, and electronic resources and compared the average values of entire 4-year university libraries to those of small-sized ones by year and region. Results show that while the numbers of enrolled students and book loans have decreased in both of groups, the number of collected books has increased 30% more in small groups and the amount of electronic resource use has increased enormously as well. Correlation analysis presents that both of groups have the consistent result. It is suggested that small-sized university libraries should highly increase their budget ratio to electronic resources for collection development and build a consortium by university's speciality for mutual use of electronic resources.