Programmatic text analysis can be used to understand patterns and reveal trends in data that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to uncover with manual coding methods. This work uses programmatic text analysis, specifically term frequency counts, to study nearly 10,000 chemistry thesis and dissertation titles from 1911-2015. The thesis and…

Reports results of a pilot study and full survey of preservation/conservation concerns about the non-rare book collections at the Syracuse University libraries. The methodology is described, including physical characteristics of the collections that were examined and statistical analyses used. (CLB)

Explores alternative measures--Ph.D.s produced by the institution, number of faculty, number of interlibrary loans, number of publications attributable to the institution--to be used to test applicability to research libraries of the Cobb-Douglas production function, which relates three variables--production, labor, and capital investment.…

Describes a model enumerating cost factors for comparing costs for paper, online, and CD-ROM indexes and abstracts. The model is applied to start-up and annual costs, and to the cost of storing and providing access to ERIC, Applied Science and Fisheries Abstracts, and Excerpta Medica, based on anticipated academic library usage. (MBR)

This document outlines the methodology to be used for analyzing and reporting data collected through questionnaires at the various libraries of the University of California in April and May of 1982, as the second phase of an online public access catalog (OPAC) evaluation project. It is noted that the project was designed to enable systems…

Randomly selected faculty from four state universities in Texas were surveyed to determine the degree to which the library and its resources influenced their decisions to accept university positions. Responses to the questionnaire reveal that faculty may take libraries for granted, as they are not exploited in faculty recruitment. (Author/CLB)

Reports the methodology and conclusions of a study that examined the research skills of graduate students by analyzing the bibliographies of over 600 master's theses. Presented by academic department, the results include the type of formats used (books, periodicals, etc.), currentness of citations, and possible source of indexing for the journals.…

A study of the use of the OCLC interlibrary loan subsystem revealed that nearly two weeks elapse between the entry of a request into the subsystem and receipt of the item. Comparison with other studies shows little change since 1979. (Author/EM)

Acquisitions librarians at two different universities studied the performance of four serials vendors by ordering the same titles at the same time. The study shows which vendor performed best in areas of delivery time, discount, fulfillment, and service, and also provides supportive data for management decisions in acquisitions. (Author/EM)

A survey of heads of academic library reference services gathered information on reference collection development. Findings included: (1) selection and weeding frequently are not guided by written policies; (2) empirical studies of use are almost nonexistent; and (3) online availability of sources is an important factor in selection. (20…

Describes a study at City College Library which examined the proportion of name headings that could be validated against the Library of Congress Name Authority File in automated authority control. The implications for the use of automated authority control as a means of integrating current and retrospective headings are discussed. (Author/CLB)

A survey of 113 Texas libraries examined characteristics of reference positions to determine whether there were important similarities and differences between public and academic libraries in the areas of professional qualifications for employment; job skills and responsibilities; work scheduling; benefits; and departmental characteristics. The…

A Study of the effects of a one-hour credit course in bibliographic instruction on students' attitudes and library skills compared their scores on an attitudinal survey and objective skills test administered at the first and last classes. Improvement was found in both areas. A copy of the skills test is appended. (2 references) (MES)

Describes a survey that evaluated time management practices among directors of large academic libraries. Factors such as the ability to delegate authority, leadership style, and the most common time wasters are discussed, and topics are suggested for further research. (19 references) (Author/CLB)

A survey of 133 academic libraries reveals that most make online bibliographic retrieval services available to off-campus clients at prices higher than those charged to primary patrons. Extra charges are not inconsequential, being approximately $15/search or 38 percent of search costs. Eight references, questionnaire, and list of online vendors…