A STUDY OF MOTIVATION FOR RELOCATION OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN JAPAN

In Japan, a few public libraries have been renewed recently, and some of them have relocated their sites. This study investigates their relocation motivations through a questionnaire survey of 217 libraries relocated between 2010 and 2020, with 143 valid responses collected. Key motivations include urban planning, narrow space in old buildings, and the need to compound with other facilities. Text mining and correspondence analysis of free-text responses reveal correlations among motivations, and the relationships between motivations, library types, and land use changes. This research enhances the understanding of library relocations and provides insights for future public library planning.