Describes a study partially replicating the 1978 University of Pittsburgh library materials study. Findings presented include the five-year circulation patterns of DePauw University books sampled compared with the University of Pittsburgh's patterns, and circulation of books given to and purchased by DePauw University. Provided are four tables and…

Results of a study at the University of Pittsburgh library to determine the extent to which library materials are used and the full cost of such use are presented. Use and nonuse of books, cost of book use, and journal use and nonuse are described. (Author/KP)

The validity of the direct shelf approach as a concept for organizing library materials, with special reference to its component, browsing" is investigated by this survey. Findings implied policy recommendations for library management and library school curricula. (33 references) (Author/NH)

Provides librarians and others with summary of types of methods available to determine extent to which books, journals, and other library materials are being used, highlighting circulation studies, survey of user opinions, document delivery tests, shelf availability studies, in-house use studies, and citation studies. Forty-four selected…

Extracts five conclusions from a survey of library material use studies: (1) recorded use in many libraries is low; (2) use within the library parallels circulation; (3) past use predicts future use; (4) recent materials are used more frequently; and (5) Americans use few foreign language materials. (FM)

Undertaken to determine if the pattern of use of library reserve collections found at other college libraries continues to exist at DePauw, this study found that approximately 40 percent of all the reserve collection items never circulated during the entire semester, and that 33 percent of the collection circulated only one to five times during…

Discusses general findings reported in the literature of use and citation studies on the use of citation counts as found in "Journal Citation Reports" for identification of periodical titles for cancellation in a university library. Principal reasons for retention of little-cited journals are noted. Twenty-one references are cited. (EJS)

The College of Education Libraries Research Project was commissioned by the Department of Education and Science at Didsbury College of Education, Manchester, England. The topics investigated included the aims and objectives of college of education libraries, effective use of library materials, funding, book selection methods, staffing…

Presents the results of a study to measure library materials use and cost at the University of Pittsburgh, the errors and inaccuracies encountered in the study, and the responses of faculty members and University librarians to the findings. (CWM)

Surveys the literature on the lack of use of government documents collections in academic libraries and discusses using library displays to increase awareness. Bibliographies on preparing library displays, locating ideas for government documents displays, increasing awareness and use of government publications, and specific documents for displays…

A survey of the ownership and use of experimental films by 22 libraries in New York State concludes that the keys to increased access and use of these films are substantial state or regional backup collections available at low or no cost to individual systems; provision of promotional and educational materials to advertise these works to patrons…

The steady growth of the academic libraries reflects a true increase in the body of human knowledge. The average academic library either now has, or will have within the next few years, a severe space problem related to housing of books. The seemingly limitless growth of space needs creates problems compounded by rising costs of buildings and…

Reports the results of a study which examined the need for and use of both academic and professional materials in library collections for professional education. The measures used included proportions of materials in an existing business collection, and comparisons of patron use and obsolescence rates of academic and professional materials. (CLB)

In their study of the usage demands placed on journal collections in academic libraries, Allen Kent and coauthors have not adequately considered the long-term variability of those demands in their formulation of a cost-benefit model for the management of journal collections. Though resource-sharing and the matching of periodical acquisitions to…

The major objective of this research study was to gather information about factors which influence collection development and selection decision making in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. The user's judgement of the extent to which the collections met his needs is the only parameter of assessment. Museum curators, the bulk of whose time is…