The question is how open access libraries can offer comparable services to online retailers such as Amazon.com while retaining the readers’ privacy. A possible solution can be found in analysing the preferences of groups or communities. In other words, to explore the possibility to uncover sets of documents with a meaningful connection for groups of readers. The solution depends on examining patterns of usage, instead of storing information about readers.

This paper will investigate the possibility to uncover the preferences of user groups within an open access digital library using social networking analysis techniques