Measuring quality of service in academic libraries traditionally includes quantifiable data such as collection size, staff counts, circulation numbers, reference service statistics, qualitative analyses of customer satisfaction, shelving accuracy, and building comfort. In the libraries of the third millennium, virtual worlds, Web content and…

The teaching of mathematical modeling to undergraduate students requires that students are given ample opportunity to develop their own models and experience first-hand the process of model building. Finding an appropriate context within which modeling can be undertaken is not a simple task as it needs to be readily understandable and seen as…

Describes an empirical Bayes method for predicting future use of library materials. Data from the University of Saskatchewan are used to illustrate practical applications of the model for simple prediction, prediction profiles, and prediction intervals. (21 references) (MES)

The major accomplishments in the development of a management system for academic library collection development were (1) the development of translation tables which express HEGIS (Higher Education General Information Survey) taxonomy terms as sets of LC (Library of Congress) class numbers; (2) the use of these tables to compare library…

Summarizes the development of a library staffing formula for Virginia academic libraries that meets resources constraints and accepted library standards. References are provided. (RAA)

Proposes and explains a modification of the mixed Poisson model for library circulations which takes into account the periods when a book is out on loan and therefore unavailable for borrowing. Highlights include frequency of circulation distributions; negative binomial distribution; and examples of the model at two universities. (Contains 34…

Libraries have always had to determine how to allocate resources for the purpose of purchasing materials. As budgets shrink and as information becomes more open, objective methods of allocating funds become more attractive. This Clip Note examines the use of formulas in the smaller institution academic environment. It identifies elements used in…

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.…

Describes the development of a salary formula for academic librarians that incorporates component values of quantifiable criteria based on base salaries, the determination of individual qualifications, and the analysis of professional positions. Applications and adaptations of the formula are discussed. (10 references) (CLB)

Because the staffing formula mandated by Virginia's State Council of Higher Education yielded unrealistically low numbers of library personnel for the larger institutions and for multi-campus community colleges, the Subcommittee on Staffing of the Library Advisory Committee was charged with developing a more suitable formula. This report contains…

Discusses the pressure placed on research libraries to maintain a balanced collection of serials and monographs, and presents an allocation formula for serial versus monograph budgeting. The formula is based on the findings of over 50 studies that used citation analysis to determine the actual percentage of serials versus monographs used by…

Presents a quantitative method for implementing management by objectives (MBO) in library technical services. Several mathematical formulas show the relationships between such variables as: (1) volume of works; (2) total materials budget; (3) number of staff; (4) working hours; (5) productivity; and (6) tasks. (four references) (MES)

Discussion of CD-ROM evaluation and selection processes focuses on a pairwise comparison method for knowledge acquisition with a consistency measure as a validation technique. Highlights include human experts' preferences and judgments; a CD-ROM selection model, including format, contents, usage, and technical considerations; and consistency…

Discussion of methods for gathering journal use information in academic libraries (for retention decisions) highlights an 8.4-year time-series of weekly library journal pickup data. Use of the autocorrelation function, spectral analysis, and intervention analysis is described.(LRW)

Discusses the length of library loan periods and the number of books allowed to be borrowed. An integer programming model is formulated whose solution yields the optimum user satisfaction, and a case study conducted at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Saudi Arabia) is presented. (Author/LRW)