This report describes the multidimensional scaling (MDS) method for interpreting collection overlap based on the number of books held by pairs of libraries in large groups (as many as 100 libraries or more). MDS results for four groups of libraries sampled from the OCLC database are also presented. MDS is described as a class of data-analytic or…

Four models for conceptualizing a circulation matrix containing the number of books borrowed according to subject and majors of student borrowers compare (1) majors; (2) subjects; (3) disciplines, suppressing the distinction between majors and subjects; and (4) majors with subjects. Results of multidimensional scaling analysis of the models are…

Discusses the issue of centralization or decentralization of academic library collections, and describes a statistical analysis of book circulation at the University of Southwestern Louisiana that yielded subject area clusters as a compromise solution to the problem. Applications of the cluster model for all types of library catalogs are…