Library service at Lincoln College

Abstract

'But do agricultural students read? I thought that their approach was purely empirical'. So runs the gist of a familiar question relating to our clientele in the Lincoln College Library.

In responding to it one cannot avoid semantics. If by 'reading' one means the leisure activity of students temperamentally inclined towards the printed word, then the generalised answer would be 'no'. This is indicated by the consistent circulation figures for books in the special 'Recreation Collection'. In 1961 the average annual issue per student from this collection was 1.5; in 1980 the figure was 2 .1. On the other hand, if one is concerned with the use of technological and scientific literature in a work context, the picture is rather different. Average annual issues per enrolled student rose from 17.8 in 1960 to 39.0 in 1980. The latter figure compares quite reasonably with that of the multi-faculty universities.