This study was undertaken to determine whether the libraries of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the College of the Holy Cross, and Clark University should be merged. Four types of data were collected: (1) objective--quantitative analyses of faculty and student use of the libraries and collection duplication/triplication; (2) subjective--opinions…

Discussion of the use of surveys as a research tool focuses on the value of library surveys. Two types of surveys are described, the descriptive survey and survey research; and improving the quality of survey research is discussed, including planning, sample size, data collection techniques, and methods of statistical analysis. (18 references)…

The Cost and Funding Studies project of the proposed Western Interstate Bibliographic Network began activities in July 1975. The goals of the project were to: (1) determine representative costs of present library services in the West, (2) estimate future costs of library services in the West with proposed network support, (3) evaluate and compare…

This report provides preliminary findings and a summary of study activities for Stage I of a project that examined public library Internet services that could impact the Digital Divide. The first section discusses the E-rate program and the Digital Divide, including closing the gap in the Digital Divide and public library Internet connectivity and…

Discusses associations between levels of service point use, population information and library inputs, based on data from two London boroughs in respect of individual static service points. Outlines methods of deriving catchment area data using membership information or postcode data from a user survey. Describes a method for librarians seeking to…

Two papers on library statistics describe national programs to collect such statistics in a Western European country and a developing country in Africa: "Establishment and Organisation of National Library Statistics: The Nigerian Experience," by J. A. Dosunmu; and "German Library Statistics," by Peter Gruber. Dosunmu's paper…

The Cost and Funding Studies project of the proposed Western Interstate Bibliographic Network began activities in July 1975. The goals of the project were: (1) to determine representative costs of present library services in the West; (2) to estimate future costs of library services in the West with proposed network support; (3) to evaluate and…

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…

Describes the scope, objectives, and status of a study of user responses to public online catalogs conducted in 1982 with Council on Library Resources (CLR) funding. The framework for evaluating the user-catalog interface, data collection, and questionnaire content are discussed, and a copy of the survey questionnaire is appended. (Author/JL)

Presents the results of a study on data collection instruments, specifically questionnaires, used by libraries in evaluating resource use and institutional effectiveness. A number of causes for inconsistent survey results are identified and problems with imprecision in survey question terminology are discussed. (JL)

A document retrieval study conducted before and again after the building of a more centralized library at Syracuse University is used as an example of the kind of data gathering which can lead to improved decision making and evaluation of library services by library administrators. The study is discussed in detail to facilitate replication and to…

A survey of 301 Illinois special libraries was conducted in 1982 to determine the number and type of statistics collected by these libraries and the ways in which these data are used. The mean number of statistics collected was reported as 10, including both technical and public service measures. Measures kept regularly by at least 50% of the…

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…

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)

Users' expectations of libraries are changing as they find and obtain more information directly from the Web. To better understand how usage patterns are changing, the Digital Library Federation (DLF) and Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)commissioned Outsell, Inc., to conduct a large-scale study of undergraduates, graduate…