One Day in the Life of the Cheng Library: Library Participates in “Snapshot Day”

Cheng Library collects statistics and comments for State-wide "Snapshot Day."

What happens on a randomly selected day at the Cheng Library?  How many students and other patrons enter the Library?  How many items are circulated and how many questions asked? The Library staff collected all of these statistics and more on October 1, 2014 as part of “Snapshot Day” organized by the New Jersey State Library and the New Jersey Library Association.

Library Snapshot Day provides a way for libraries of all types across a state, region, system or community to show what happens in a single day in their libraries. How many books are checked out? How many questions are asked?  How many students receive help in completing their assignments? How many events are scheduled?  This initiative provides a collective platform for libraries to demonstrate the value they hold among library-users.   This day provides an opportunity to collect statistics, photos and stories that enable library supporters to substantiate the value of their libraries in neighborhood communities, to demonstrate the significance of libraries to municipal and state decision-makers, and to advocate for adequate funding.

At the Cheng Library, the following activities were recorded on October 1, 2014:

  • Number of persons entering the Library (Gatecount) = 3,129
  • Website visits = 2,245
  • Reference, Lending and Periodicals Desks questions = 161
  • Interlibrary Loan and Article copy requests = 110
  • Library printing = 9,129 pages
  • Scannx scanned pages = 274
  • Group study room reservations = 9
  • Chat sessions = 4 sessions totaling over 80 minutes
  • LibGuide views = 279
  • NJVID streaming videos = 107 videos viewed
  • Ebook usage (Ebrary) = 618 pages viewed during 36 sessions
  • Online catalog searches = 355
  • Total number of borrowers (individuals) = 269
  • Total number of items circulated: 618 (includes books, media and equipment)
  • Books Shelved = 175
  • Library instruction = 5 classes for more than 100 students

If that sounds like a lot of activity, consider that early October is not the busiest time of the semester for the Cheng Library, and Wednesdays are not usually the busiest day of the week.

Students were also asked to respond to the question, “Please tell us what you like about your library.”  A selection of the responses below reveals that both the Library as a place to study and the Library as a provider of services and resources are valued by our students.

“I love it because the library gives me a quiet place to study and has Internet access.”

“I love that my library is without distractions and promotes my drive to learn.”

“Libraries help us when we don’t have Internet access, need to do research, or need help.”

“The staff working in the Library are very helpful, whether I need help finding a book or using resources.”

“Love the options of books and that I can use the computers while on campus.  I can go do homework in a quiet environment.”

“Convenient access to printers and computers if mine are not working.”

Both the data and the written impressions about the Cheng Library were forwarded to the New Jersey State Library to be added to the cumulative total for all libraries in the State.

October 22, 2014