The process of identifying items in a library's collection by assigning to each a unique machine readable code has been generally referred to as barcoding. Barcoding is often one of the first critical projects a library will embark upon in the process of automation. This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit addresses many of the major…

Based on statistical data submitted by almost 3,000 academic libraries as part of the 1978-1979 Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), this report develops a composite profile of an academic research library. Use of cluster analysis of library characteristics to find institutions that were quantitatively similar to one another…

Describes the use of "snapshot inventories" to assess the availability of a library collection by measuring the presence/absence of a representative sample of library materials at a given moment. Explains the methods and results of an inventory conducted at Monterey Peninsula College in California. (DMM)

In the summer of 1984, seven Library of Congress subclasses in the Columbia-Greene Community College Library were surveyed to determine if past circulation records could reliably predict future circulation. In the summer of 1985, a follow-up study surveyed 10 Library of Congress subclasses to verify the results of the first study. The second…

A study conducted to determine if integrated shelving in a curriculum resources center made a difference to users in terms of finding more resources and using more audiovisual aids found that audiovisual and print materials use seemed to be influenced less by integrated shelving than by ease of access. (MBR)

This statement in support of Education Consolidation Improvement Act reauthorization discusses six topics related to school libraries: (1) purpose of school libraries; (2) research supporting need for school libraries; (3) current status; (4) funding realities; (5) deteriorating book collections; and (6) impact of federal aid. An American Library…

This self-study--part of a series of studies conducted at Michigan State University Libraries--was undertaken to make recommendations for improvements in public services. The study team was directed not to limit its analysis to immediate concerns, but also to take a long-term view of the development of library service. Task forces were organized…

To enable the William R. Perkins Library to focus attention on its collection development operation, a six-member study committee was appointed to review within the present and future environment of the university current collection development policies and procedures and to suggest changes as appropriate to ensure effective use of the library's…

This paper reports the results of a circulation study in the government documents departments of a public library and an academic library. Based on a systematic random sample of the records of materials returned in 1981, the study had two purposes: to seek evidence to support the assumption that current documents circulate more than older ones;…

Reports results of a pilot study and full survey of preservation/conservation concerns about the non-rare book collections at the Syracuse University libraries. The methodology is described, including physical characteristics of the collections that were examined and statistical analyses used. (CLB)

This 1982-83 statistical survey of libraries at four-year colleges and universities, two-year colleges, law libraries and miscellaneous academic institutions in the Pacific Northwest provides relevant data for comparison and inventory purposes. A total of 129 institutions responded to the questionnaire which was administered by the Pacific…

Reports on output measures that can give children's librarians additional information to better control collections and make better selection and weeding decisions. Statistical comparisons utilizing circulation data (comparing circulation year to year, circulation to patrons served, circulation to number of materials owned) and availability of…

This report considers the issues of gifts, donations, collection development, long-range planning, and budget constraints which arose as a consequence of a collection development study undertaken for a public library system serving a population in excess of 200,000. Gifts to the general collection are distinguished from gifts to special…

One in a series of reports on public service studies by academic libraries that are being administered by the Office of Management Studies (OMS) of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), this report on the self study of the Michigan State University Libraries includes a brief description of the overall project and an executive summary of the…

This packet is designed to guide users through the steps that ultimately lead to the assignment of collection responsibilities for individual member libraries of the North Bay Cooperative Library System, Santa Rosa, California. An initial profile of the member libraries examined the subject distribution of books owned, availability of books owned,…