The "use" of library resources and services is frequently presented in library and information science (LIS) literature as a primitive concept: an idea that need not be defined when it is being measured as an operational variable in empirical research. This project considered representations of library "use" through the…

This empirical research investigates subscription price variations of scholarly journals in five business subject-specific areas using the semilogarithmic regression model. It has two main purposes. The first is to address the unsettled debate over whether or not and to what extent commercial publishers reap monopoly profits by overcharging…

Libraries are under pressure to prove their worth and may not have achieved this fully successfully. There is a resultant growing requirement for value and impact measurement in academic and research libraries. This essay reviews the natural history of library performance measurement and suggests that proof of worth will be measured by the…

In this explorative study, we first investigate current use of public library statistics in public library management to identify a governing framework and then carefully suggest an alternative framework with income as a goal for sustainability. The meaning of income in terms of management is also discussed. Within this framework, we conduct a…

This meta-analysis of research on reference service evaluation discusses how often the same variables are examined, to what extent the observed correlations agreed or differed, and whether the results of multiple studies (59 studies listed) can be combined to obtain a more accurate estimate of the strength of association for a variable with…

Describes a study of American Library Association members that gathered data on self-directed, informal, work-related learning. Compares time spent in formal continuing-education activities with self-directed learning (SDL), and examines relationships among variables likely to influence SDL including size of the institution and professional…

Provides regression-based empirical evidence of the effects of variations in exchange rate risk on 1985 library prices of the top-ranked 99 journals in economics. The relationship between individual journal prices and library prices is shown, and other factors associated with increases and decreases in library journal prices are given. (Contains…

Describes a study that examined quantifiable characteristics of library schools to construct a model that predicts a judgment of perceived quality of library schools. Two perception studies conducted by Herbert White are discussed, statistical methods used are explained, and recommendations for further research are given. (34 references) (LRW)

This study reexamined the influence of demographic characteristics on the use of community-based information and communication technologies (ICTs) along with two other predictors of use: psychological attributes and alternative service accessibility. Data were collected from 394 randomly selected community network users using survey…

This study collected data on personality characteristics, job satisfaction, and career satisfaction from more than 1,300 information professionals. Respondents included academic reference librarians, archivists, catalogers, distance education librarians, public librarians, records managers, school media specialists, special librarians, systems…

Reports on a study of user-based relevance interpretations which considered the nature of users' thought processes in evaluating bibliographic citations produced by a document retrieval system. Factors found to be important include an individual's subject knowledge, professional training, educational background, anticipated usage of documents,…

Presents an empirical model, previously used to examine characteristics associated with perceived quality in schools of library and information science, that may be utilized in future studies. Variables and their correlation with a discriminant analysis function are listed, and a histogram depicts score distribution. (four references) (EA)

Reviews results of a study that was conducted to determine the level of organizational commitment of high school library media specialists in Ohio and to identify factors likely to produce or impede its development. Use of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and the Media Specialists Questionnaire is described. (27 references) (LRW)

Reports a national study of variables influencing the retention, restriction, or removal of challenged library materials in secondary schools. Results show that retention is positively associated with the presence of school board policy and support of librarians, whereas removal is associated with administrative challenges and librarians willing…