A comparison of subject- and publisher-based book approval plans for academic libraries found publisher-based plans to be more successful for purchasing domestic publications, and subject-based plans for international ones. Library collections, organization, and vagaries of the publishing industry form the basis for selecting the plan which is…

Discusses collection development policy as means to express and systematize guidelines for collection building that fulfill three basic functions: the referential, the generative, the rhetorical. Division of policy into subject categories, and use of "collection levels" to rank the collection and collecting effort for each subject are…

Studies characteristics of a multilateral cooperative selection program for small rare book collections and describes success of such a program at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Highlights include five guidelines as prerequisites to formal agreement and a cooperative collection development…

A study of library collections at Amherst College, Grinnell College, and Franklin and Marshall College to assess the applicability of a selection model for preservation candidates in nonresearch libraries is reported. Brittle books held by fewer than five libraries were identified, supporting the model for preservation and cooperative collection…

Establishes theoretical framework for solution of problem confronting academic libraries--growth in number of journals and surge in prices--by showing how concentration of usage is function of sociobibliometric laws based on cumulative advantage principle. Use of citation indexes in academic evaluation and library collection development is…

Explores the collection and use of library and information science (LIS) monographs by academic librarians. The use of individual and focus group interviews to identify issues affecting the use and nonuse of LIS monographs is described, and the influence of promotion and tenure requirements on LIS publications is considered. (32 references) (LRW)

Reports on acquisitions of selected Western European political science materials deemed important for inclusion in at least one North American research library. The percentages of French, Italian, Swedish, Catalan, Icelandic, and Belgian materials not found in RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network) and OCLC are provided. Factors supporting…

Examines the elements required to ensure the operation and use of special collections within an austerity context in order to develop a rationale for their continued support. Strategies for support are discussed, including the establishment of a strong rationale, the development of external funding sources, and models for cooperative efforts.…

This article describes study of the relative effectiveness of classroom faculty and librarians as book selection agents in a small urban commuter college located in Chicago, Illinois. Use of history section of collection, hypotheses tested, data collection and analysis, circulation activity, and comparative data are highlighted. Eight references…

Describes survey of 500 academic business libraries undertaken to gather information on practices in acquisition, use, retention, and storage of domestic and foreign corporate annual reports, and policies related to their circulation and cataloging. Options for libraries collecting these materials are proposed. Institutions in subset are listed.…

Describes methodology for analyzing MARC (machine-readable cataloging) records of highly circulating titles to document common characteristics for collection development purposes. Application of the methodology in a university library is discussed, and data are presented on commonality of subject heading, author, language, and imprint date for…

Provides a case study from the 1930s to the present of cooperative collection development at the Research Triangle university libraries (North Carolina). The rationale and principles for successful cooperation, types of cooperation that work best for different subjects and kinds of materials, and factors that promote long-term cooperation are…