Librametry
Librametry
In 1948 at the Aslib ’ s conference in Lamington Spa , Ranganathan introduced the term Librametry for the first time . He suggested to develop librametry on the lines of biometry , econometry , and psychometry ( 2 ). His suggestions were avidly welcomed at the conference by Bernal and others . The term Librametrics has two roots : Libra and Metry . The word ‘ Libra ’ connotes ‘ library ’ and ‘ metrics ’ means measurement . Further , as the librarian of the Madras University Library , he practiced various librametric techniques way back in 1925 , in order to solve day today library problems and to streamline the day-to-day library activities , services for their clientele and also for the betterment of library professional as a whole ( 31 )
The scope of the library is limited to the quantitative study of books , readers and staff . Here the books , readers and staff are the three constituent elements or factors of the library . The absence of any one of the three will make the library cease to exist . Each has its own potentiality and it is only a sum of the three that makes a library . Thus we can measure all the Characteristics of books , readers and staff .
The library book selection , acquisition , accessioning , classification , cataloguing , stack arrangement , publicity , reference service , circulation activities can be measured . The library reader ’ s book use behaviour can be quantifiable . The library staff-their satisfaction , dissatisfaction-also can be measured . Even we can include library accounting , budgeting and manpower planning . Ranganathan ( 27 ) in his paper presented in the DRTC 7 th Annual Seminar ( 1969 ) suggested a few examples of statistics to library science . Based on his experience and the experiments carried out at the Documentation Research and Training Centre , Neelameghan ( 23 ) outlined the applications for Librametrics :
1 . Determination of the strength of library staff ; 2 . Disposition of library staff for circulation work during different library hours ; 3 . Disposition of library staff for reference service during different library hours 4 . Organization of library system ; Establishing the distinction between “ service library ” and “ dormitory library ”; 5 . Design of library building , fittings , and furniture ; 6 . Book selection ; 7 . Absolute syntax and facet syntax in relation to classification ; 8 . Length of class number ; 9 . Variation in style in writing catalogue entries ; and 10 . DOC-Finder .
Statistical techniques are also useful in
1 . Transfer of a big library from one building to another ; 2 . Periodical changes in the sequence of subjects in shelving of books in the stack room in relation to saving of the time of readers .