50 LIBRARY USERS

by economic status, more than either the upper or the lower
classes. Single persons patronize it more than married ones,
and whites more than Negroes.

Use of the reference services of the public library is both
more limited and more specialized than use of the circulation
services. Apparently most of the reference patrons are men,
the better-educated, professional people, and students. Two
groups who make much use of the circulation department—
housewives and white-collar people—make relatively little
use of the reference department. The degree of overlapping
between the reference and the circulation clienteles of the
public library is not known.

Library use is not uniform throughout the country. It varies
inversely with the size of the city, down to the 25,000 popu-
lation level, and directly with accessibility. It tends to be
greater in the city than in the country, and it also varies by
regions.

The most significant factor in the use of libraries by adults
is education. Other factors are constantly affected by this
pervasive one. The library, as part of the educational system,
would seem, from the indirect and fragmentary evidence we
have, to serve opinion and community leadership in a posi-
tive way. It is possible, therefore, although certainly not
proven, that the minority using the public library may have
a proportionately large influence in the community.