The relationship between student demand for library books by subject area and the students' majors and courses undertaken was studied using a library's automated circulation system. During 1980-1982, book checkout at the university library declined 22 percent. History had the greatest decline in checkouts per student. Other fields with larger…

The Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library contains 200,000 volumes and 900 serial subscriptions and operates with an annual budget as of 1974-75 of $235,000. It serves 2000 undergraduates in a 4 year liberal arts college. Library automation is used in the following areas: (1) bibliographic compilations; (2) cataloging of books, octavo choral…

This basic discussion of the organization of bibliographic instruction programs in an academic setting includes consideration of factors involved in implementing an innovative program. Several stages in developing and organizing a systematic program are reviewed: creating student awareness of the academic library in general, introduction to use of…

Designed to help institutions considering library automation, this report describes the adoption, installation, and use of the Virginia Tech Library System (VTLS) at Ohio University. The report includes information on: (1) a task force created at Ohio University in 1978 to explore an automated circulation system; (2) installation and tape loading…

A user survey was conducted at the Hugh Stephens College Library to determine the degree of user satisfaction and identify limiting factors. Analysis of data from 203 data sheets completed by patrons requesting specific titles reveals that acquisitions by the library and user error are more significant limiting factors in this library than either…

This paper examines three aspects of the public library's circulation service: (1) a demand function for the service is estimated; (2) a long-run unit circulation cost curve is developed; and (3) using the economist's notion of "efficiency," a general model for the pricing of the circulation service is presented. The estimated demand…

Discusses the use of library management data, particularly circulation data, in making selection decisions for library collection development based on experiences at Louisiana State University. Development of a collection based on actual use rather than perceived research needs is considered, and the decision-making process for serials…

Describes measures of cost effectiveness that are useful for academic library collections, based on experiences at the Louisiana State University libraries. Highlights include circulation analysis of newly cataloged books; current periodical use compared to cost; faculty ranking of journals; and circulation patterns (i.e., use versus cost and…

Information Interdependence is an empty concept unless the real user is a dominant element. The individual user of information must be sensitized to the existence of information interdependencies and to the critical need to foster much more of it, if libraries are to survive economically and provide exemplary information service. Three approaches…

The relationship between student library use and selected student characteristics, including fields of study, academic achievement, and progress toward a degree was investigated at a large, urban, nonresidential university with a full-time-equivalent student population of 15,000. Findings include the following: students with higher grade point…

As serials budgets shrink, serial prices increase, and journal titles continue to proliferate, libraries are challenged to better assess and fulfill users' information needs. Changing formats complicate the situation while better indexing and abstracting services make patrons more aware of the vast literature available. This study examines several…

There is great interest in the effect of school resources on academic achievement, but it is seldom that an opportunity arises in which this relationship may be examined in an international milieu. This paper presents the types of resources available in the 27 countries participating in the International Association for the Evaluation of…