Circulation
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| Circulation by Item Location | |||||
| LOCATION | 2018-2019 | 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 |
| Regular Collections | 7,140 | 10,203 | 12,145 | 8,516 | 9,120 |
| Government Publications | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Permanent Reserves | 243 | 293 | 262 | 253 | 231 |
| Textbooks / Course Reserves | 2,041 | 2,422 | 2,691 | 2,817 | 1,764 |
| 4+ -day Equipment (cameras, tripods, IoT kits, etc.) | 1,002 | 2,435 | 1,557 | 492 | 198 |
| Maps | 1 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| Popular Collection | 730 | 848 | 1,507 | 1,228 | 1,174 |
| Display Case of Faculty Publications | 8 | 24 | 36 | 16 | 6 |
| Media Center / Music Media | 141 | 210 | 192 | 408 | 264 |
| Craft Center - Smithville | 130 | 229 | 243 | 44 | 68 |
| 4-hour Technology (laptops, chargers/cords, headphones, etc.) | 51,526 | 97,753 | 107,758 | 85,615 | 55,828 |
| Umbrellas | 1,850 | 1,263 | 590 | ||
| TOTALS | 64,813 | 115,696 | 126,985 | 99,392 | 68,665 |
| Circulation by Patron Type | |||||
| PATRON TYPE | 2018-2019 | 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 |
| Undergraduate Student | 58,947 | 106,417 | 100,906 | 92,660 | 62,658 |
| Graduate Student | 2,314 | 3,454 | 4,364 | 3,225 | 1,862 |
| Faculty / Staff | 1,754 | 1,695 | 2,045 | 2,025 | 2,310 |
| Community Patron | 970 | 1,086 | 1,055 | 960 | 1,048 |
| TOTALS | 63,985 | 112,652 | 108,370 | 98,870 | 67,878 |
| These totals do not equal the circulation by item location totals because this table does not include items that circulate through InterLibrary Loan for other libraries. | |||||
| Circulation by Call Number (books and media*, all locations, not renewals) |
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| Call Number | 2018-2019 | 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 |
| A (General Works) | 9 | 10 | 22 | 23 | 43 |
| B (Philosophy, Psychology, Religion) | 663 | 666 | 713 | 563 | 578 |
| C (Auxiliary Sciences of History) | 50 | 36 | 51 | 20 | 57 |
| D (World History) | 562 | 812 | 952 | 762 | 724 |
| E-F (History of the Americas) | 535 | 695 | 1,293 | 534 | 942 |
| G (Geography, Anthropology, Recreation) | 260 | 402 | 367 | 255 | 268 |
| H (Social Sciences) | 692 | 904 | 1,166 | 644 | 841 |
| J (Political Science) | 45 | 87 | 130 | 69 | 79 |
| K (Law) | 68 | 93 | 166 | 52 | 82 |
| L (Education) | 406 | 459 | 728 | 418 | 485 |
| M (Music) | 732 | 1,054 | 1,221 | 1,171 | 1,207 |
| N (Fine Arts) | 242 | 306 | 321 | 267 | 253 |
| P (Language and Literature) | 1,332 | 1,779 | 2,136 | 1,830 | 1,840 |
| Q (Science) | 703 | 1,474 | 1,449 | 973 | 867 |
| R (Medicine) | 354 | 632 | 528 | 420 | 398 |
| S (Agriculture) | 142 | 233 | 230 | 246 | 147 |
| T (Technology) | 607 | 947 | 1,005 | 835 | 849 |
| U (Military Science) | 35 | 65 | 46 | 50 | 45 |
| V (Naval Science) | 13 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 7 |
| Z (Bibliography, Library Science) | 74 | 69 | 101 | 54 | 57 |
| TOTALS | 7,524 | 10,733 | 12,636 | 9,191 | 9,775 |
| *excludes government publications, maps, microforms, TechCheck, popular collection, Craft Center, course and textbook reserves, and archives/special collections | |||||
Circulation Notes
2018-2019: Circulation was decreased by approximately 43% this year, mainly due to the drastic reduction in four-hour technology checkouts. The TechCheck desk moved back under ITS' management and was relocated by the IT Help Desk. Additionally, circulation was down in almost all call number ranges and every item location except umbrellas, which increased by approximately 600 checkouts.
2017-2018: Total circulation decreased for the first time since laptop checkouts began. Circulation in most areas was the same as last year or decreased with the exception of course reserves, which increased due to additional available textbooks.
2016-2017: Overall circulation increased again, mostly due to laptop checkouts. This was the first full year all student technology checkouts were at the front desk. The four-day equipment increased due to calculators and the newly-added umbrellas. Circulation of the regular collection increased in almost every call number range.
2015-2016: Overall circulation increased dramatically mostly due to technology and laptop circulation that moved to the library front desk. Not only is that service becoming more popular, but since the library front desk took over the service in January 2016, those items circulate every hour the library is open. Previously the TechCheck desk closed early, which limited circulation. Other areas of significant increased circulation were textbook reserves, four-day equipment, and music media. Online renewals more than doubled from last year, again most likely due to the single sign-on to the library account. The decrease in circulations were predominantly from the regular/main collection. As in previous years, undergraduates borrow the most items, but this year the graduate students' borrowing almost doubled as well.
2014-2015: Overall circulation slightly increased again this year mostly due to laptop circulation at the TechCheck desk. Online renewals increased this year, which is most likely due to connecting the library account to the same signin as Tennessee Tech email so patrons no longer need to remember a separate PIN. Circulation of certain areas changed based on library changes: permanent reserves increased because the collection now focuses on test prep books and all new, updated books were ordered; a textbook reserve program was started in Fall 2014; the popular collection now includes DVDs; the Media Center no longer exists; the Craft Center had library software issues so there were months of no statistics. Circulation of non-equipment went down overall mainly due to undergraduate students and faculty. Community borrowers and Tennessee Tech staff increased their checkouts significantly compared to last year.
2013-2014: Overall circulation has again increased compared to the previous year. Although most of that is due to increased circulations at the IT Help Desk, book/media circulation is also up this year (see Circulation by Call Number chart). That is the first increase since 2006. Of the 20 subject areas, 15 of them had increased circulations for this year. Course reserve circulation is also drastically increased this year. The Media Center circulations decreased because the media collection is no longer housed in a separate location but is now incorporated into the "stacks" location.
2012-2013: Overall circulations have increased, but most of that is due to circulations at the IT Help Desk. Overall, circulation of everything except IT help desk items have decreased over the last three years. Online renewals stayed consistent but in Spring 2014 the link to renewing items online was moved to a prominent position on every page of the library website, so that may increase online renewals in the future.
