Patterns of Use and Usage Factors for Online Databases in Academic and Public Libraries

Database usage data from a random sample of academic and public libraries in the U.S. and Canada reveals patterns of use in selected types of libraries. Library users in both public and academic libraries tend to use commercial online databases most frequently early in the week, mid-day, and at times that correspond to the academic calendar (November in this sex-month sample.) The mean number of simultaneous users is correlated with the size of the population served and the number o workstations available, but relatively low numbers of users are simultaneously logged on to research databases at all sizes of libraries. A questionnaire sent to these same libraries identified many other factors that might influence database use, including levels of instruction, availability of remote login, placement of a database on the library's homepage, although none of these factors was found to be statistically significant.