This summary sheet of a survey administered to government documents librarians during visits to 17 large research libraries throughout the United States in 1977 presents the tabulated responses to each question on a copy of the survey instrument. The questions were intended to gain knowledge of present library facilities and collections so the…

The paper reviews the research on design and operation of research libraries sponsored by the Purdue University Libraries and the Purdue School of Industrial Engineering. The use of mathematical models in library operations research is discussed. Among the mathematical methods discussed are marginal analysis or cost minimization, computer…

Sketches author's views of the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), a cooperative library owned by over 100 academic and research libraries, and considers possible future directions. Growth and expansion, center services and collections, challenges to be met (commitment, resource sharing, goals), and CRL as model for academic world are discussed.…

A model based on storage and retrieval costs that determines efficient allocation of materials to different storage regimes in academic libraries is developed. An economically rational basis for determining role of several alternative storage methods which distinguish among materials by expected level of use is offered. Nineteen references are…

Views academic libraries through the lens of the assessment and accountability movements. Illustrates how a research library at the University of Rochester (Rochester, New York) has created an assessment environment in an effort to focus on educational impact. Discusses principles of good practice, and formal and informal evaluation. (AEF)

Integrating science and technology libraries into a single unit involves identifying what is unique about each, addressing user and staff concerns, establishing new communications patterns, encouraging staff participation in the change process, and redirecting identity and loyalties to the larger entity. Progress-to-date is described in…

This self-study by the public services staff of Brown University Library provided an opportunity for them to examine past, present, and future operations. The study was conducted by 33 volunteers from the library staff, who were organized into 1 study team and 5 task forces; they worked more than 14 months to develop the recommendations and plans…

Although librarians in approximately one-third of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) have a rank or status similar to other faculty, their activities, responsibilities and involvement vary considerably. A survey was conducted to determine the autonomy of library faculty organizations and their role in library and university governance, and…

This document proposes a model of the decision making process required of research libraries when they embark on digital conversion projects. A series of questions are offered that focus on facilitating the decision making process for library managers. Questions of what and how to digitize are placed in the larger framework of collection building…

Focused on the development of definitions and guidelines for management statistics, this Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit is based on the responses of 91 academic members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to a survey investigating their internal uses of statistics, external statistics reporting, and tools for…

This collection of documents from Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries in the United States and Canada contains examples of strategic planning, a method which deliberately attempts to concentrate resources in areas that could make a substantial difference in future performance and capabilities. Contents include: (1) a…

This paper analyzes the major national plans for preservation programs in the United States from 1954 to 1985 and shows the extent to which aspects of these plans have been achieved by academic libraries. Plans presented to and commissioned by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) between 1954 and 1972 are examined; the formation of the…

This examination of the past and present states of collection development in the research library covers background information, theories, and associated problems. A historical review of methods that have been and are currently being used for collection development includes discussions of the changes imposed by World War II on the practice of…

This collection of library documents related to building renovation, by members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), contains excerpts from: (1) a plan for upgrading and expanding library facilities at the University of Kansas; (2) a report on storage facilities at Rutgers University; (3) documents presenting the essential remodeling…

This report summarizes views of government documents librarians interviewed during visits to 17 large research libraries throughout the United States in 1977. Information was gathered to alert the prospective planner of new or remodeled libraries to the special characteristics and problems of government documents collections and some alternative…