STRUCTURE

A school library extended its opening hours because students said that a lack of time prevented them from reading. At first, the number of visitors increased. Yet the number of books borrowed barely changed. Interviews revealed that many students came to the library to study for tests, not to read. The librarian then placed short book reviews written by students near the entrance. Borrowing increased during the following month, although opening hours remained the same. This did not prove that the reviews alone caused the change; a reading festival was also taking place. Still, the experience suggested that removing a practical barrier might not be enough. People may also need a reason to begin. To evaluate a policy, therefore, we should examine the behavior it is intended to encourage rather than assume that increased access automatically produces the desired outcome.