Mapping differences in access to public libraries by travel mode and time of day

Allen, Jeff

doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2019.02.001

Cited by 22 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, Jae Park (2012) identified travel time as more significant than physical distance. In a City of Regina study (Allen, 2019), the travel time of each neighbourhood to the nearest library branch was mapped, by time of day and type of transportation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does size matter? In-library study of two Canadian public library branches

Shepherd

Petrillo

Wilson

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to summarize a library use study of the central and community branches of a Canadian public library. An exit survey documented the in-branch activities of users as a part of a library strategic planning process. Survey results were used in combination with branch statistics, postal code circulation statistics, neighbourhood demographics and other data sources to document the in-library use of the two facilities. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaires were administered to library users 15 years of age or older at the exits of the central and community branches. The survey collected data on their activities and services used during their current visit. Additional sources such as branch-level statistics, furniture tally sheets, photographs, Canada Census data and circulation analysis by patron postal code and lending branch were used during the analysis stage. Findings Both branches are heavily used but in different ways. Branch circulation and gate count per square foot of floor space were high relative to other Canadian libraries. Patron visits to the community branch were short in duration, in line with previous public library studies. User visit duration and in-library activities within the main branch somewhat resembled those of the central branch of a larger library system but likely for different reasons. Research limitations/implications The study was exploratory. Data were collected during two coinciding days of library operation, a Thursday and a Saturday, and may not be representative of the underlying population. The study was limited in scope as it was a community service project for undergraduate university students. Practical implications Branch library use surveys, in combination with library statistics and demographics, can provide useful insights concerning in-library patron behaviour when the use of ethnographic techniques is not feasible. Originality/value The study explored differences and similarities in user behaviour in two types of library facilities, a central and a community branch. Few published studies make such a direct comparison. The study explored the perceived benefits received by patrons from public library use and incorporated branch statistics, circulation analysis and Census data.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does size matter? In-library study of two Canadian public library branches

Shepherd

Petrillo

Wilson

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This accuracy makes it possible to indicate time gaps in public transport operation schedules (Allen and Farber 2019). So far, the analyses using the GTFS data have been focused on commuting to shops and shopping centres (Farber et al 2014;Widener et al 2017), health centres (Neutens 2015), and cultural and educational facilities (Allen 2019) and they have indicated significant inequalities in accessibility to those services by means of public transport. While analysing the GTFS data, the researchers were pointing out some disadvantages and limitations of this data format.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

GIS tools and programming languages for creating models of public and private transport potential accessibility in Szczecin, Poland

Goliszek

2021

J Geogr Syst

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article presents the results of public and private (car) transport accessibility modelling, which gives the room for the comparison of two types of transport throughout the whole day as well as the rush hours. Both public and private transport models are based on public available data, accessible via the Internet which is downloaded using a programming language and processed using the GIS tools. The public transport model is based on the GTFS data (General Transit Feed Specification), while the car model has been created from data on driving times derived from Google Maps® API. Both models presented in the article have been constructed for a specified period of time, namely from 5.00 am to 10.00 pm in 15-min intervals. The analysis of the above-mentioned models has allowed the comparison of differences in potential accessibility and its deviations at different times of the day. The disparities revealed by the study have indicated that there are certain times of the day when public transport is actually competitive with the private means of transport. The results of potential accessibility analysis are visualised with the use of maps, including the choropleth ones.

show abstract

“…The branch system of large urban centers are already well positioned to cater to the unique needs of residents but understanding how and when those needs shift -based on the composition of residents -remains a challenging data analysis task (Shepherd, Petrillo & Wilson, 2018;Allen, 2019). For example, many large public library systems employ some form of community profiling for understanding the uses and users of different branch outlets (Jaeger et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Open Data to Inform Public Library Branch Services

Ostler

Norlander

Weber

2020

Public Library Quarterly

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article describes the curation and use of open demographic data to inform public library services. A case study of census data curated for the Seattle Public Library (SPL) system is described. To understand the information needs of library branches, a set of SPL regional managers were interviewed, a set of use cases were created, and a prototype dashboard tool using open census data was developed to address the needs of two SPL regions. The utility of available open data to meet the needs of regional managers is reviewed, as well as the potential development of replicable data analysis tools for keeping public libraries aware of shifting neighborhood demographics.

show abstract

Mapping differences in access to public libraries by travel mode and time of day

Cited by 22 publications

References 29 publications

Does size matter? In-library study of two Canadian public library branches

Does size matter? In-library study of two Canadian public library branches

GIS tools and programming languages for creating models of public and private transport potential accessibility in Szczecin, Poland

Using Open Data to Inform Public Library Branch Services

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About