Public Libraries Positively Impact Quality of Life: A Big Data Study.

A big data study examining 10 years of North Carolina public library data found that per capita print book circulation had predictive, positive, and statistically significant relationships with five quality of life factors including a community's level of educational attainment, per capita and median household income, and number of jobs. Altogether, five public library factors were found to have positive impact on six community quality of life variables. These results support the role libraries serve as community anchors in positively impacting quality of life. The use of predictive analytics and the study's findings can be used in advocating for the value of public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]