Work sampling: The application of an industrial research technique to school library media centers

Work sampling is a research technique where workers are observed at random times and their activities recorded. The data collected can be converted to percentages indicating the overall distribution of how their time is spent in various categories. This methodology, commonly used in industry, has had limited applications in library settings. A background of work sampling, its history in libraries, and the planning and implementation of a school library media study is discussed here.