48 : \ LIBRARY USERS

and activity on the other. Are library users more politically
interested or active than non-users? Do they have different
political opinions from non-users? This important problem,
which touches upon the whole function of the public library
as an influence upon public opinion, has been investigated only
as an incidental by-product of a larger study on the formation
of political opinion (Berelson 1945). Although several differ-
ences in political disposition were found between library users
and nonusers (Table 25), most of them were explained by

TaABLE 25

PoriticaL INTEREST, OPINIONS, AND ACTIVITY OF
PusLic LiBrRarRy Users AND NONUSERS IN
A Mibwest CoMMUNITY

PERCENTAGES
Characteristic  Library Users Nonusers
Expressed great interest in election 54 33
Expressed some indecision on po-
litical issues 24 33
Actually voted 88 79
Voted Democratic (1940) 34 45

Score on general attention to po-
litical materials in major media
of communication 122 94

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

112 360
Source: Adapted from Berelson, 1945.

differences in the educational level of the two groups, rather
than by the fact of library use itself. Such differences are
descriptively true—that is, more library users than nonusers
had “great” interest in politics—but when analyzed they are at-
tributable to considerations other than library use. Taking this
into account, the study concluded:

We have found slight differences in certain areas of political in-
terest, still smaller differences in political activities, and no sub-