Speed of access is a prime factor in user satisfaction with academic libraries. Specialized (i.e., departmental) libraries have proliferated to provide faster access. This study timed a sample of 933 citations, drawn from items cited in publications of members of each academic unit within the university. The hypothesis that the optimum size for a…

A network of 13 Central Ohio libraries undertook a survey to determine: (1) which library services and resources are best provided on a regional basis; (2) which library services and resources are best delivered on a local basis; and (3) what plan for regional cooperation in service delivery is most effective. This summary report contains a…

In recent years there has been a push for libraries to develop and use systematic measures to determine the effectiveness of library service. Materials availability, or fill rate, is one of many output measures used in libraries. This technique measures the degree to which library customers are able to acquire the materials they want during their…

The purpose of this research was to look at the currency of the collection of a small public library and to determine the relationship between the amount of usage of the collection and the currency of publications in the collection. A 10% systematic sample was taken of the circulating nonfiction adult shelf list of the Franklin Public Library…

Local history/genealogy collections are found in approximately 60% of Ohio public libraries. These collections range from fully established large collections to those in the process of being organized. A survey was made of 140 of these public libraries to determine how the collections are utilized. Areas such as organization, management, policies…

A survey was conducted to gather data about Ohio's prison libraries and the librarians who are responsible for them. These libraries are areas of challenge and opportunity for librarians, and there will be continued growth in this field as more and more prisons are built. However, few professionals are aware of the concerns and challenges facing…

Objectives of this survey were to: (1) examine existing library conditions, (2) develop library service standards, (3) prepare a long-range plan for library service, and (4) estimate program costs and suggest means for implementing the plan. Survey methods included interviews with library staff and trustees, school personnel, and county and…

This paper reports on a study in which data on audiobook borrowers' backgrounds, borrowing practices, and desires were collected, in order to assist library staff in making informed collection development decisions and being responsive to patron needs. Participants were patrons of the Salem Public Library (Ohio). An anonymous questionnaire was…

Little is known about the information needs and information-seeking strategies of dance professionals. Dance, an interdisciplinary subject that draws from music, theater, and anatomy and physiology, among other disciplines, has only recently begun to be taken seriously as an academic discipline. This preliminary study explores the extent to which…