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02 TRENDS IN USE

1939 (Chart VI), as shown by a study of libraries in that
state, 1s due partly to the war, which took many potential
library users away from their homes, and partly to the rela-
tive prosperity of the period. In short, public library circula-

CuarT V

TreEND oF PusLic LiBrary CircULATION OF ApuLT FICTION AND
NONFICTION, 1930-35

150

1930=100 — ADULT FICTION
=== ADULT NONFICTION
- - ‘

o
o

INDEX NUMBER
~
O

Ho

 

Data from Herdman, 1943.

tion, like various other social factors, is influenced by the
business cycle, with which it correlates inversely.®

SEASONAL PATTERN IN LIBRARY USE The third trend in
public library circulation is the seasonal pattern (Chart VII).
During the twelve months of the year, circulation figures
show two peaks and two troughs. One peak occurs in Octo-

“Detailed confirmation of this relationship for a single town may be found
in Sohon, 1941, and for large libraries over a long period in Kaiser, 1948.