Studies on the topic of obsolescence in literature are reviewed and it is concluded thatthe concept is not of practical use for librarians. An extensive list of studies in the field is appended. (PF)

An analysis of 2,805 citations from 31 dissertations of Ph.D. candidates in the field of business management provided information regarding publication form, periodical title, subject, time span, language, and publisher. (Author/JAB)

A study was conducted of periodical usage at the Education-Psychology Library, Ohio State University. The library's closed reserve system provided circulation data which were analyzed according to currency of usage and usage of specific titles. (Author)

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 objective of this study was to determine how large research libraries perform the function of collection development. The paper describes collection development theory within the formal organizational structure of the library, identifies the actual decision points involved in selection of materials, and examines the staff and facilities…

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)

Cooperative book acquisition plans and improved systems of interlibrary lending are intended to eliminate duplication of library holdings. In order to calculate possible savings, an investigation of how much duplication exists in the libraries on the various campuses of the University of California was made. Estimates were developed for the extent…

Suggests that fundamental questions with broad policy implications and a perspective that approaches academic library from patron's point of view remain to be asked about library costs, collections and their use, library users, and both the academic setting itself and the people who work within it. Seventeen references are cited. (EJS)

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)

This paper is a review and analysis of published research in the field of shelf classification in libraries, as well as an assessment of future prospects. Past, present, and proposed rationales for shelving books are described; results of investigations, surveys, and user studies are summarized; and suggestions for further research are presented.…

In order to develop guidelines for the selection of journals by the Center for Research Libraries, a study was done of the use made of the Center's Journal Access Services (JAS), which supplies photocopies of journal articles to member institutions from the Center's collections and from the British Library Lending Division (BLLD). Based on a…

The process described in this manual is designed to help small academic libraries systematically study the use of their circulating book collections. Originally developed in 1980, the manual has been used successfully in several small college libraries, both with and without assistance from outside consultants. In most cases, the study can be…

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)

Presents results of study which examined interlibrary loan requests received at University of West Florida to ascertain whether books that other libraries could normally be expected to buy were being requested, and how many books in "high-use" areas were being requested by other libraries. Conclusions and recommendations are included. (3…