At a time when emphasis is being placed on quality, standards, and accountability, the research world is spending more time assessing the value and impact of library organizations. This paper argues that research in this area requires sociological and psychological research skills. Qualitative data are as important as statistics. Different…

Describes the process of initiating an e-mail reference service in 1995 at the Ohio State University Health Sciences Library and the growth of the service through 2000. Includes data on types of patrons who use the service; types of questions and answers; and how results have led to re-evaluating all reference services. (LRW)

Discusses the ARL (Association of Research Libraries) E-Metrics project that is investigating problems related to collecting and using data for electronic materials and services. Describes a survey of libraries that focused on data collection activities and showed a lack of preparation as well as a lack of consistent statistics from database…

To investigate the experience of American and Canadian university libraries with remote access catalogs, self-administered questionnaires were sent to the 137 directors of all Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries and all libraries of Canadian degree-granting institutions. The study was designed to: (1) survey Canadian and U.S.…

The data collected through the 1994 Federal Libraries and Information Centers Survey present a picture of federal libraries and information centers that provide a wide variety of services to their respective agencies as well as to the general public. Federal libraries and information centers reported holding over 51 million volumes or volume…

Describes the use of questionnaires and interviews for a study on the use of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Library (Nigeria) by international students. Problems faced by students are highlighted, including the language barrier, new services, and unfamiliar library terminology. (Author/LRW)

Describes a correlation method for calculating reference statistics using weekly door counts that was tested at the University of South Carolina while studying a sampling technique for collecting reference statistics. Results indicate this method may offer libraries an accurate and less time-consuming procedure for keeping reference statistics.…

Discusses the concepts of marketing and relationship management as they apply to libraries. Topics include perceptions of the profession; environments that libraries operate in; connecting content and users through access and services; and the need for reliable and consistent collection of effective data. (Author/LRW)

The 1996 National Household Education Survey (NHES:96), an ongoing national survey on important educational issues, included a series of questions about the use of public library services by members of United States households. Responses represent public library use by members of each household surveyed and not by individual persons within…

This user survey was part of a three-part diagnostic study that sought to obtain information on how public libraries operate in Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Venezuela) and the Caribbean (Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and Surinam) and the social role performed by this type of service in the region.…

Outlines techniques of utilizing interlibrary loan (ILL) statistics to establish productivity and staffing patterns to evaluate library services and reveal staffing needs. This article also presents results from an ILL workload and staffing study in Alabama academic libraries. Results are displayed in table form. (JMV)

This report is the unofficial, pre-publication summary of Louisiana 1994 IPEDS (Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System) academic library statistics forms. The primary impetus for this publication is to provide Louisiana academic library directors a timely and more user-friendly presentation of IPEDS statistics. Libraries are grouped…

The three papers in this collection on library statistics were presented at the 1984 IFLA general conference. In "The Management Use of Library Statistics," Geoffrey G. Allen of the Western Australian Institute of Technology discusses current uses and misuses of library statistics and illustrates some practical applications of statistics…

The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) is charged with improving library services throughout the state to ensure that all citizens have access to quality library and information services. The agency is responsible for receiving and administering federal and state funds for the more than 200 public libraries in Alabama. Information is reported…

The survey data on Colorado's academic libraries is organized by sector (i.e., public or private) and board (e.g., University of Colorado, State Board of Agriculture, Colorado Community College and Occupational Education System). There are library-by-library statistics and summary figures for boards and sectors. Full-time equivalent (FTE) student…