Describes a study of 10 academic libraries in Nigeria that investigated collection size and devices employed in collection-building, particularly gifts and exchanges. Concludes that gifts and exchanges are only palliatives, not a panacea for the paucity of academic library collections. (Author/LRW)

A survey of heads of academic library reference services gathered information on reference collection development. Findings included: (1) selection and weeding frequently are not guided by written policies; (2) empirical studies of use are almost nonexistent; and (3) online availability of sources is an important factor in selection. (20…

Proposes a model based on mechanical selection for core collection development that is appropriate for large and medium-size academic research libraries. Statistics that show a large percent of desirable books are published by a small percent of publishers are presented, and titles published by university presses and by commercial presses are…

Random samples of works were drawn from the catalogs of the Bobst Library, New York University, and the Burke Library, Union Theological Seminary, New York to examine derivative bibliographic relationships. Two sites were chosen to allow a test of the differences in collection development patterns between a university research library and a…

This report presents the results of a study the objective of which was to determine how widespread automated acquisitions systems are in North Texas' Association of Higher Education (AHE) libraries and what the characteristics of these systems are. The paper is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the paper and an…

Columbia-Greene Community College (Hudson, New York) takes a yearly 10% statistical sample of its entire circulating collection, noting the call number, acquisition year, and circulation record of each book, in order to determine the pattern of book use over the preceding 2.5 years, and to facilitate the development of an acquisition pattern that…

Research was undertaken to determine if the growth of academic library holdings was exponential, as reported by previous studies. Statistical analysis showed the growth rate of the Association of Research Libraries member libraries to be arithmetical, rather than exponential, taking into account library size and inflation. (CDD)

Citation analysis of the journal "Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society" was shown to be a useful tool for defining the core collection for a women's studies program. Analysis over a 10-year period produced a list of 20 of the most frequently cited journals for women's studies and related fields. (six references) (LAE)

Describes two use studies of the microforms collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one conducted in 1982 and the other in 1987. Collection profiles are presented, use study methodology is discussed, and results of the two studies are analyzed and compared. (Five references) (LRW)

This study uses the list of periodicals indexed by "Alternative Press Index" to examine the holdings rates of alternative press titles in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries. Results by subject clusters show low holdings rates. The impact on scholars, students, and library collections is discussed. (Author/LRW)

This SPEC Kit, published six times per year, examines how Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries have structured themselves to identify networked information resources in the market, to evaluate them for purchase, to make purchasing decisions, to publicize them, and to assess their continued utility. In the summer of 1999, the survey…

Reprint of a 1964 article by David Kaser which presented mathematical formulas for estimating the collection sizes (in volumes) required to ensure minimum adequacy of academic library collections at institutions with widely different characteristics. Current article presents new formulas and illustrates their application at specific institutions.…

Considers advocates and opponents of citation analysis use in the management of academic journal collections and describes the compilation of a relational database file to model an academic journal collection. The use of citation analysis is recommended for collection management based on cost figures presented. (LRW)

Discussion of the role of subject bibliographers in collection development activities focuses on an approach developed at Virginia Polytechnic and State Institute to provide a formula for estimating the collection development workload of subject bibliographers. Workload standards and matrix models of organizational structures are discussed, and…

Formulas from the "Standards for College Libraries" were used to compare the recommended collection size and number of professional librarians with the actual size of the collections and number of librarians for a random sample of Baccalaureate I and II colleges. Results revealed that significant numbers are not meeting the "Standards" in these…