Seat usage data analysis and its application for library marketing

Abstract

Due to the progress of information and communication technology, our society is changing very quickly. Along with this, people's requirements to information are not only changing vigorously but also have a huge variety in their forms. As a result it becomes more and more difficult for the libraries to provide their patrons with appropriate information services. In this paper, we demonstrate the usefulness of the concept of library marketing through some examples; especially with some analysis methods for seat-usage, or seat-occupation, data in library. We investigate what seats are more preferred than others and try to deduce tips for better seat arrangement, combination of different types of seats, etc. Even though our research is in a very early stage so that we could not infer that good suggestions to better seat arrangements, we believe in its importance and it would propose the best solution in seat design in the future. © 2011 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.