The pie charts illustrate the proportion of people using a public library and the main reasons for visiting between 1991 and 2000.
Overall, the percentage of individuals who studied at the library decreased, while borrowing or returning books remained the most popular category throughout the period.
In 1991, borrowing or returning books accounted for the largest proportion of library visits, at 65%. The second most common reason was reading newspapers or magazines, which made up 15%. There was also an equal percentage of visitors who studied and those who obtained information, at 10% each.
In 2000, book borrowing and returning still represented the dominant reason for library use, accounting for 55%, though this was a decline compared with 1991. Studying, on the other hand, dropped sharply to only 2%, becoming the least common purpose. Reading newspapers or magazines also fell significantly to 5%. Meanwhile, obtaining information stayed almost unchanged at 9%, and a new category appeared, with 18% of visitors borrowing or returning videos.