Descriptive Statistical Techniques for Librarians

This updated and expanded edition is a practical handbook for librarians working in all types and sizes of libraries. It helps practitioners develop and manipulate descriptive statistical information to evaluate library services, track and control limited resources, and analyse data to support overall library goals. As a statistics guide for all kinds of libraries, the book features an increased number, type and variety of statistical examples based on actual situations, making it all the more essential for librarians faced with monthly or year-end reports and evaluation summaries. For students, new problem exercises are structured around these relevant examples, and step-by-step solutions to each problem are given in the appendix. An added feature is a new section on available statistical software packages that minimize calculations and save users valuable time. With its real-life library applications, practical examples and exercise, and new learning objectives and key terms, this edition should meet the needs of library science students. Practical examples and explanations help professional practitioners proceed through data analysis with confidence.

Seton Hall University Dean of Libraries Hafner (Democracy and the Public Library, Greenwood, 1993) has updated his 1989 classic (same name) on the application of statistical analysis tools in libraries. This is a superb resource worthy of selection as an assigned text in MLIS statistics classes, or as a reference manual for practicing librarians. Hafner adds nearly twice as many examples, figures, practical problems, self-assessment review quizzes, and tables in well-organized, detailed chapters that discuss basic statistical terms, data analysis methods, presenting data in charts and tables, measures of central tendency and variability, linear regression and correlation analysis, and sampling strategies. As anyone who has ever had a course in statistics knows, this can be a very intimidating topic to grasp, much less master, and Hafner has done a marvelous job explaining and describing the many examples with helpful, step-by-step analysis that will guarantee this vital resource a place in all MLIS programs. For librarians, this tool will help them better understand and present key quality indicators representing the best of their operations. Highly recommended for all library schools and larger public libraries.ADale F. Farris, Groves, TX
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.