Gender Disparities in Book Circulation at a Chinese University Library (2012–2022)

Abstract

The study explores the significance of gender differences in higher education, using book circulation data from Nanjing Normal University libraries between 2012 and 2022. It aims to analyze gender disparities and calculate the mathematical characteristics of gender prediction probability using the ANN model. The time-series ARIMA model also forecasts the average number of books that male and female teachers and teacher candidates are expected to borrow and renew in the next three years. The findings indicate that men tend to be more focused and persistent readers despite women having a more extensive network of book borrowing ties. Male graduate students and faculty members demonstrate significantly greater individual variability in book renewals than their female counterparts. Additionally, the maximum value of book renewals for male graduate students and male faculty members is notably higher than that of female graduate students and female faculty members. Book renewal frequency is a crucial factor in ANN gender prediction. On average, male readers incur higher overdue fines than female readers, and the overdue fines for both genders during the COVID-19 pandemic were considerably higher than usual. The actual monthly average renewal rates in 2022 exhibited significant fluctuations across genders and academic statuses, highlighting the limitations of the ARIMA model and other factors influencing renewal rates.