Modelling the demand for learning resources in academic libraries

Abstract

System dynamics is a relatively young discipline having been in existence for just 50 years. With close links to systems theory it offers an holistic approach to modelling and focuses on the analysis of the feedback structures existing in complex systems that give rise to observed behaviour. This paper gives a description of some of the classic archetypal system structures that commonly occur in system dynamics models and interprets them within the context of modelling an academic library system. The paper summarises the process of modelling with system dynamics and gives examples of some behavioural insights that emerge from a simple interconnection of archetypes to form a qualitative model of part of a library system relating to loan and duplication policy.