Provides librarians and others with summary of types of methods available to determine extent to which books, journals, and other library materials are being used, highlighting circulation studies, survey of user opinions, document delivery tests, shelf availability studies, in-house use studies, and citation studies. Forty-four selected…

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…

Extracts five conclusions from a survey of library material use studies: (1) recorded use in many libraries is low; (2) use within the library parallels circulation; (3) past use predicts future use; (4) recent materials are used more frequently; and (5) Americans use few foreign language materials. (FM)

Because advances in medical science can lead to rapid changes in current health knowledge, a library collection of medical science materials can become dated rather quickly. This factor, as well as the many variables of library use and operation which impact the availability of current materials on the library shelves--loan periods, weeding…

In this report of the Council's fourteenth year, a sum of $1,722,375 was appropriated for the support of 29 new projects and work was continued or completed on a good many more. It has become increasingly evident that the average library will never be able to "go it alone" in some aspects of the new technology--automation, for example.…

This study investigates the bases for constructing quantitative and qualitative measures of Australian Colleges of Advanced Education (CAE) library collection adequacy, and the feasibility of producing specialized and appropriate measures to guide future collection planning. Adequacy is based on the libraries' policies for providing materials to…

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…

THE LIBRARY RECORDS OF A MIDWESTERN PUBLIC LIBRARY WERE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE WHICH AGE GROUPS VISIT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY DURING THE SUMMER, WHICH AGE GROUP READS THE GREATEST NUMBER OF BOOKS, AND HOW MANY OF THE VOLUMES CIRCULATED ARE LISTED IN THE "CHILDREN'S CATALOG" AS QUALITY LITERATURE. DATA COMPILED WITHIN A 6-DAY PERIOD REVEALED…

The Newberry Library, (Chicago, Illinois) lays claim to holding within the Edward E. Ayer collection the finest singler collection of books on the culture and history of native america. This paper discusses the mandates and challenges that confronted the Newberry staff when it mounted its quincentennial exhibition entitled, "American in…

This report presents comprehensive recommendations in the library budget formula area for public 2- and 4-year institutions in Washington based on recommendations adopted by the council in 1976 with some revisions. A review and analysis of statistical data supplied by the 4-year institutions and community college system in the areas of staffing,…

A study was conducted of three key availability characteristics of material at the University of California (UC), Berkeley library system: (1) status of materials, (2) time required to obtain them, and (3) their location. These characteristics were examined in light of interlibrary loan criteria set forth in a major report on library cooperation…

This paper outlines the procedures for a study that will focus on the information needs of the 12 Department of Sociology faculty members at Ball State University. By comparing needs of the sociology department with current holdings in the library, deficiencies in monograph and serial holdings are expected to be identified. Needs are defined here…

A survey of local history collections in Nebraska public libraries was made in an attempt to determine whether public libraries in that state were building local history collections; what items were being collected; and how collections were acquired, used, and promoted. The survey also attempted to ascertain if there was a demonstrable…

Evaluates the validity of using circulation data as the index to the total utilization of a library collection and tests the hypothesis that the proposed mixture of Poisson distributions can describe and predict various use distribution. Seven statistical analysis listings, six algorithms, 20 tables, and 43 references are provided. (Author/RBF)