Libraries have become increasingly interested in studying the use of spaces within their buildings. Traditional methods for tracking library building use, such as gate counts, provide little information on what patrons do once they are in the library; therefore, new methods for studying space usage are being developed. Particularly promising are…

Too little is known generally about the cost of the various operations carried out in libraries. At present, new techniques are being devised using computers to store, sort, file and reproduce data formerly dealt with by traditional manual methods. Computer time, however, is expensive, and the computer programs to handle bibliographic data are…

A cost-effectiveness analysis evaluating manual and automated circulation systems is described. The methodology identifies all automation costs and real changes in effectiveness. (Author/KP)

Comparisons and advantages of using a printer versus on line cataloging are presented, with statistics of title percentage from search procedures. (Author/KP)

This description of the automated acquisitions system used by Knox College Library provides a history of its development and compares the system to the OCLC Acquisitions Subsystem. The system's chief management tool--a dealer report and several permutations (sorts by publisher and fund)--is discussed. Six references are cited. (EJS)

Analyzes the impact of AACR2 on the card catalog in a medium-sized library using a random sample from a year's cataloging. Rates of conflict, amount of corrections, and creations of split files under different conditions are considered. Data are presented in four tables and a reference list is attached. (Author/JL)

Describes two surveys of three libraries on a university campus, one conducted in 1987 and one in 1993, that investigated how library staff reacted to the library automation process. The hypotheses that were tested are discussed, and results are compared to a similar survey conducted in 1985. (LRW)

Compares the operating costs of the CL Systems, Inc. Libs 100 automated circulation system with those of the manual system it replaced. The systems are described, costs defined, methods of data collection explained, and unit costs given. (Author)

Describes a study conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln library that investigated the impact of automated display on catalog records by comparing the card and online versions of records created according to ISBD (International Standard Bibliographic Description) conventions. The development of a new cataloging code is recommended.…

This study describes and analyzes the involvement of library and university groups and individuals in arriving at major library decisions concerning budgeting, automation, policy making, and operational issues in 12 selected university libraries. Site visits, interviews, and questionnaires were used to compare the decision making roles of…

The frequency with which students borrow works of literature that can be called eminent or great works from a university library was examined in two studies that are interesting for their methodology and their findings. An operational definition of great or eminent works was developed, and a list of such works was derived from three sources on…

An automated project for converting a library collection from Dewey Decimal to Library of Congress classification was compared with a manual reclassification project. The Joint University Libraries (JUL) of Vanderbilt University, George Peabody College for Teachers, and Scarrit College served as an example of manual reclassification. The JUL…

Describes study of manual and experimental automated circulation systems in a university library in Nigeria. Data were collected for eight circulation activities in order to calculate the direct labor costs of circulating a book on each system. Automated system's book circulation costs were higher although direct labor costs were less. (MBR)

Batch mode processing is compared, using cost-effectiveness, with on-line processing for computer-aided searching of chemical abstracts. Consideration for time, need, coverage, and adaptability are found to be the criteria by which a searcher selects a method, and sometimes both methods are used. There is a tradeoff between batch mode's slower…

Explores the use of a comparative approach in a library instruction workshop for culturally diverse populations. The distinct world views of Chinese and Western students are compared, and the impact of these views on each population's mode of thinking and on the design of the workshop is discussed. (seven references) (Author)