The growing pressures and the complex conditions which now bear upon research libraries are not adequately reflected in the development of policies, plans or current service activities. In the place of current, reliable, and extensive information which might be reflected in decisions and actions, librarians seem to operate normally on the basis of…

Describes a study which investigated plans of Association of Research Libraries members in New England for total automated library systems, whether compatibility of microcomputers with existing or proposed equipment is a factor in microcomputer selection, plans for microcomputer use, and how appropriate microcomputer tasks are identified and…

Describes the background, goals, methods, and results of a needs assessment study at the New York Public Library. This structured, phased self-examination was designed to form a consensus about the institution's long term needs and priorities. (CLB)

Describes steps in survey project that supplied information for contemplated merger of two libraries by estimating number of volumes and titles and duplication between John Crerar Library collections and University of Chicago Library science collections. Survey's findings for volume duplication are analyzed by subject groupings and by books and…

This manual is designed primarily as a guide for libraries undertaking a formal study of preservation needs as a foundation for planning programs to meet those needs. Based on the "assisted self-study approach" process, it presupposes a library staff large enough to permit the assignment of about two dozen people for an average of 5 or 6…

This publication is designed as a guide for libraries that have elected to undertake a formal study of preservation needs in preparation for planning and implementing programs to meet those needs. The manual is divided into four sections. The first section (Chapters 1-2) provides an overview and orients the reader to the planning process. The next…

A discussion of the interrelated aspects of library performance measurement and what data collection means to library planning. Methodologies considered are cost analysis, quantitative vs qualitative measurement, community analysis, and citizen attitudes and opinions. (JAB)

Based on the concept that library use measurement should have as its basic starting point the individual patron, a method of data collection and analysis has been developed that explores individual patterns of borrowing over time. The method accounts for the number of visits on which borrowing takes place, number of items borrowed per visit, and…

Research on public libraries is conducted in library and information science schools, commercial firms, state library agencies, research institutes, and some public libraries and library systems. While a number of library science professionals demand research, there appears to be a lack of the communication of research results so that they may be…

A study was undertaken to develop a strategic plan for the Information Services Division of the Harold B. Lee Library (HBLL) at Brigham Young University (Utah). A secondary purpose of the study was to produce a model for strategic planning for public service units of academic libraries in Utah. A questionnaire was sent to administrators of member…

Discussion of the decision-making role of the librarian covers pertinent planning activities, i.e., systematically analyzing problem, reviewing literature, gathering and analyzing data, and assessing positive aspects of implementing new knowledge so gained. Knowledge of the research process, replicating research, and assuming the responsibility of…

Discusses the potential for increasing library effectiveness through the appropriate design and utilization of research and describes fundamental research and statistical techniques. Topics examined include areas amenable to data collection, data collection methods amenable to statistical analysis, measurement techniques and levels of…

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…

Describes the use of library surveys as a tool for library planning in the United States from the late 19th century to the present. Different eras of library planning in the United States are identified, and the weaknesses and strengths of the survey method are discussed. (CLB)

Divided into five parts, this report describes a research project which used the Delphi method to identify the future roles of the library at Mercer County Community College through 1986, and to set priorities for those roles. The introductory section includes definitions of the problem, the terms used, the subject, and the organization of the…