Studies on the topic of obsolescence in literature are reviewed and it is concluded thatthe concept is not of practical use for librarians. An extensive list of studies in the field is appended. (PF)

Presents a method based on a constrained optimization technique that determines the time of removal of scientific periodicals from the shelf of a library. A geometrical interpretation of the theoretical result is given, and a numerical example illustrates how the technique is applicable to real bibliographic data. (FM)

Analyzes the half-life of book use through analysis of over 10,000 regional and statewide interlibrary loan requests. Correcting for the growth of the literature, this study indicated that the half-lives of monographs may increase from lower to higher levels of the hierarchy in a library network. (CWM)

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)

The use of information regarding the ages of library items is a standard component of many approaches to weeding library collections, and has a long history in the literature of collection management. Current and past approaches to using aging information to make weeding decisions make use of very arbitrary decision criteria. This study examined…

Examines the distribution of use of items in a large information store and suggests that a simple exponential model describes the process of obsolescence more precisely. Three tables, four figures, and a 17-item reference list are included. (Author/JL)

Two aspects to be considered in designing a storage system for library materials are: the fraction of the collection which is to be stored; and the criteria to be used for selecting materials for storage. This study demonstrates that for a given selection criterion least-cost storage quantities can be assessed by balancing the large circulation…

A research project is being conducted to construct a mathematical model of the operations of an academic library to be used in making managerial decisions. As part of this project, this report examines Bradford's Law of Scattering and the fall-off of use of documents as they age. A series of mathematical analyses indicate how these two laws can be…

This text focuses on decisions which affect library stock control or the acquisition and management of library materials. The book covers five areas: (1) a definition of the problem; (2) optimal size of library stock; (3) diagnosis of faulty control of book availability; (4) improvement of book availability; and (5) synthesis of theories and…

A survey of 75 small academic libraries reveals that most hold reasonably current editions of four or five different general encyclopedias with considerable agreement on most popular titles. Encyclopedias are used primarily for ready reference and general introductions to research topics; new editions are purchased at least every five years. (EJS)

The checklist and date distribution methods are used to evaluate the reference collections of two New Jersey Area Reference Libraries, an older, traditional single unit public library and a newer unit in a system of nine libraries. Three sectors of the reference collection are tested: reference books, abstracting and indexing services and serials.…

Determines book obsolescence rates for instructional departments within university by analyzing annual library's circulation and relating patterns of library use to curricular programs. Immediacy and intensity of peak usage, use dispersion, and commonality of use were used to develop acquisition priority weighting formula. Twenty-two sources and…

Seven articles on library reference services highlight reference obsolescence in academic libraries, major studies of unobtrusive reference tests, methods for evaluating reference desk performance, reference interview evaluation, problems of reference desk control, online searching by end users, and reference collection development in…