This packet is designed to guide users through the steps that ultimately lead to the assignment of collection responsibilities for individual member libraries of the North Bay Cooperative Library System, Santa Rosa, California. An initial profile of the member libraries examined the subject distribution of books owned, availability of books owned,…

This review of the 1987 literature on collection management covers (1) organization; (2) collection building; (3) collection and use evaluation; (4) cooperative collection development; (5) costs and budgeting; and (6) acquisitions. (185 references) (MES)

A study was conducted to determine: (1) whether technical processes at the Booth Library, Eastern Illinois University, should be automated; and (2) if automation were required, which system would be economically and technically feasible. Data from 323 technical service transactions were selected on a random basis between July 1971 and June 1973,…

The purpose of this evaluation of the children's book review centers was to determine the answers to two major questions: Would the children's book review centers(CBRC) receive enough use to justify their continued funding and existence? and would the CBRCs improve the librarians' selections of children's books? Data for the study were collected…

Noting that librarians have long debated whether specific library functions may, or should, be scientifically examined, or whether they constitute an art not susceptible to scientific study, this paper reviews and critiques attempts to develop models of library material selection using the theories and methods of scientific investigation. First,…

Some university academic departments contend that they do not receive a fair share of approval-plan books. The study attempts to measure the proportion of books for each departmental subject in general publishing and to compare those ratios to their proportion in approval plan receipts. It also sought to determine whether, and to what extent, book…

Data gathered in application of Paul Kantor's demand-adjusted shelf availability model to medium-sized academic library indicate significant differences in shelf availability when data are analyzed by last circulation date, acquisition date, and imprint date, and when they are gathered during periods of low and high use. Ten references are cited.…

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,…

Indicates that the (1) largest journalism libraries employ professional librarians, (2) size of acquisition budgets does not correlate with school enrollment, and (3) average library spends two-thirds of is budget on newspapers and periodicals and only one-third on books. Provides useful guidelines for designing a collection development policy for…

Analyzes a sample of over 4,700 orders for library materials at the University of California, Berkeley, in terms of the probability that the material will arrive and the factors that determine arrival. Models to evaluate the book ordering process are presented, and variables that may affect arrival time are discussed. (six references) (Author/LRW)

Public library use and librarians' knowledge of access to government documents were assessed through a survey of 108 participating public libraries in Kentucky in preparation for a one-day workshop providing instruction in government documents. Response rate was 43 percent. Community needs were determined by classification of the particular…

In order to develop guidelines for the selection of journals by the Center for Research Libraries, a study was done of the use made of the Center's Journal Access Services (JAS), which supplies photocopies of journal articles to member institutions from the Center's collections and from the British Library Lending Division (BLLD). Based on a…

This SPEC kit is based on a June 1987 survey of approval plan use by 94 members of the Association of Research Libraries. It reports on the current practices of these libraries, the perceived advantages and disadvantages of using approval plans, and the effect of increased library materials costs and library automation on such plans. It is noted…

This report describes a study which used computer analyses of the center's film booking records for fiscal year 1981 to identify those subject areas in the collection for which holdings did not seem to accurately reflect the clientele's levels of interest, as indicated by their use of the collection. Results identified 60 subject areas which met…

A survey of local history collections in Nebraska public libraries was made in an attempt to determine whether public libraries in that state were building local history collections; what items were being collected; and how collections were acquired, used, and promoted. The survey also attempted to ascertain if there was a demonstrable…