Collection use study is a must if research collections are to meet scholarly needs while competing for scarce financial resources. Such studies will be in harmony with the realities under which academic libraries must operate in the future. (RAA)

This report documents a study undertaken to determine the feasibility of and need for an information desk at the Kent State University (KSU) Library. Study methodology included gathering information through a review of the literature and a telephone survey of six academic libraries in Ohio comparable in size and holdings to KSU in order to develop…

Based on responses to a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members in March 1988, this Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) flyer and kit are designed to assist administrators of large academic libraries in the selection of useful methods of conducting user surveys for particular library concerns. The flyer provides a brief…

Faced with growing problems in the management and direction of its periodical collection, in 1973 the McLaughlin Library at the University of Guelph established a Periodical Use Committee responsible for collecting and analyzing statistics on the use of periodicals within the library. Specific responsibilities of the committee included deciding…

Article focuses on planning process used by staff of State University of New York College at Brockport library to develop and implement a user study measuring effectiveness of library's services. The planning model, research committee, sampling design, questionnaire development, and implementation and evaluation of survey are discussed. Twenty-one…

To identify areas where seats could be removed to accommodate a growing collection, the University of Wollongong (New South Wales, Australia) library surveyed patron seating usage. The survey supported a 12% reduction in seating, which enabled the installation of additional shelving and a compactus to store 20,000 volumes while having a minimal…

A usage study of monograph and serial library holdings at the University of Cincinnati was conducted in 1982 to select candidates for retrospective conversion of catalog records and to determine what materials would be housed in a remote storage facility. The study measured both inhouse and circulation use for each Library of Congress (LC)…

A brief overview of this survey and plan for library cooperation is provided by a summary of key recommendations based on the identification of major needs, plus interviews, statistical analysis, materials checklists, and questionnaires. Priorities are indicated by grouping these recommendations in 10 phases. The main body of the report provides…

This report presents comprehensive recommendations in the library budget formula area for public 2- and 4-year institutions in Washington based on recommendations adopted by the council in 1976 with some revisions. A review and analysis of statistical data supplied by the 4-year institutions and community college system in the areas of staffing,…

Describes the implementation of a user-centered document delivery system at Colorado State University. Evaluates the system via a statistical compilation of system usage and a telephone survey of the service's users. Results indicate that the system usually provided fast delivery at acceptable costs, but fell short as a substitution for mediated…

This collection of library documents, which illustrates current techniques for conducting user studies in order to facilitate specific public services planning and priority-setting efforts at the member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), contains excerpts from: (1) four general user studies conducted at the University of…

The results of three surveys conducted in 1983--one of Texas Tech University students, one of the library staff, and one of faculty members--indicated that all three populations surveyed agreed that the library should provide bibliographic instruction for students. Preliminary profiles of user needs were developed on the basis of responses to the…

This report documents an investigation which was conducted to determine how the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Library can best use its facilities, space, and equipment to meet the needs of users; provide a safe, comfortable workplace for staff; and house and protect its collections. The task force methodology is described, and…

This study investigated four general areas of concern at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Library: (1) the characteristics of the library's present and future user population and the identification of its needs; (2) the role and program configuration of user education in the future; (3) methods for increasing user awareness of…

This study reports the findings of two surveys conducted in 1983 by the University of Wisconsin-Stout's (UW-Stout) Library Learning Center. The main objectives of these surveys were to question users with regard to which library services and resources users are aware of, which ones are used by what groups, how they are used, and what value is…