The Library Circulation Histories Workshop
The Library Circulation Histories Workshop (LCHW) aims to make historic library circulation data more accessible and more analytically powerful. Over the past two decades, a number of projects have provided scholars and the public access to a rich body of evidence derived from handwritten library circulation records that capture the borrowing choices of thousands of library patrons. These projects document reading experiences in several countries, during various time periods, and through a range of institutions. Organized by the Center for Middletown Studies, it builds on the success of the What Middletown Read project, an NEH-funded effort to create and share the circulation records of the Muncie (Indiana) Public Library from 1891 to 1902. The LCHW brings together scholars, librarians, and developers representing a variety of projects employing circulation data, to share insights and develop new strategies for increasing the value of these already powerful research tools.
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Workshop takes place April 19-30, 2021. For more details visit the project homepage.