Identifying Library Market Areas Using Materials Circulation Data

Author: Dean K. Jue
Organization: Florida State University

C2200 University Center
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2640
USA

Phone: 850-644-7358
Fax: 850-644-7360
djue@odie.ispa.fsu.edu

There are very few real-world studies of the actual (as opposed to legal) market service areas for public library outlets. The authors geocoded user address data from materials circulation records for three counties in the United States (Lake County and Palm Beach County, Florida, and Fresno County, California). Because data on the materials circulation was maintained for each individual library outlet, the market area for over 50 library outlets was obtained among the three counties. The implications of this study for improving library service to users will be discussed.