The city of Lille is the 10th most populous city in France, with a population of nearly 240,000 in 2024. It has a network of 9 media libraries (not including the 2 associated libraries in Lomme and Hellemmes) with a central library that receives the most visitors: the Jean Levy media library.
For several years, Affluences has been working with the city of Lille on analysing the use of its public reading network.
We are publishing a case study of this collaboration to find out more about the issues at stake and the optimisation of the network thanks to a detailed analysis of the use of the various sites.
The media libraries of Lille: a local and innovative Cultural Network
Lille's libraries form a dynamic network of local institutions, including the main media libraries of Lille-Centre, Jean Lévy, and the library of Wazemmes.
Each offers a variety of services such as specialised collections, heritage collections and multimedia areas.
For example, the Jean Lévy media library is renowned for its historical collection and temporary exhibitions, while the media library of Lille-Sud is distinguished by its focus on young people and its modern reading areas.
These libraries do more than just lend out documents: they regularly organise creative workshops, storytelling sessions and conferences to enrich local cultural life. They also offer advanced digital services, allowing users to access online resources and consult real-time information about how busy the spaces are, so they can plan their visit better.
How can we effectively measure the number of visitors to a library network?
Why conduct an annual study of your library attendance?
The implementation of people counting systems can help in particular to:
Optimise resources: by knowing precisely the periods of high and low attendance, media libraries can adapt their resources, for example by increasing staff during peak periods.
Improve comfort and hospitality: measuring attendance makes it possible to know how full the rooms are, thus avoiding the saturation of certain spaces and offering a better experience to users.
Adapt the offer: thanks to the data collected, libraries can adjust opening hours or even plan events and activities according to periods when attendance is lower.
Accessing subsidies: when public reading networks prove that they have a regular and increasing number of visitors, they can justify greater financial needs to local authorities.
What are the key points for a successful attendance measurement strategy?
Choosing suitable counting tools: there are a large number of counting systems on the market that can be adapted to your needs and budgets.
Comply with data collection regulations, if you choose to conduct an audience survey involving the collection of personal data, which must comply with the GDPR.
Analyse the data regularly: attendance data must be analysed regularly and over time to adjust actions according to the trends observed and
Communicate with users: by informing users of the best times to come, media libraries can build trust and encourage more people to visit these places.