Reports on a study in the public libraries of Champaign and Urbana, Illinois, to determine whether public library circulation of a sample of books will be greater for those volumes displayed in a prime location than for those in their regular places on the shelves. (FM)

Reports the findings of a six-year West Virginia University study that tested the "direct access" debate in its main library after undergoing the transition from closed to open stacks. Circulation, book availability, and search and library-use statistics are provided, and their implications are discussed. (Author/JD)

Library collection weeding criteria based upon unequal distribution of demand require that distribution remain stable over time. A mathematical expression is derived that tests that stability. Verification is not inordinately time consuming and is facilitated by the use of automated circulation systems. (Author/RAA)

Concludes that there are two subgroups in the newspaper nonreader population: typical nonreaders (the young, old, poor, and undereducated) and atypical nonreaders (middle-aged, upper income, highly educated adults who ignore the daily newspaper because of lack of time and dissatisfaction with content). (GT)

Gives an example of how use of periodicals in an academic environment has been recorded, how it has been built into a collection development program, and how it has focused on areas for future concern. (Author)

Describes a survey of library personnel use of the LC subject catalog to determine how libraries used the catalog and what changes in format, content, and cost are most desirable. Findings indicate that use is primarily by technical service personnel, and non-English language listings are more important to users. (Author/MBR)

An analysis of 4,780 citations taken from scholarly journals in 16 areas of engineering showed that journals are cited 53% of the time; electrical engineering literature has the shortest "half-life"; and literature types age at different rates for engineering researchers, with books having the longest useful lives and conference papers the…

Proposes two general classes of user tasks-recognition tasks and tasks requiring inference-for which performance measures were developed. The measures include graphical object recognition, textual object recognition, action recognition, free-text gist determination, multiple-choice gist determination and visual gist determination. Results from two…

Outlines the basic principles and research supporting the concept of narrative intelligence and its applicability to the ways in which people make sense of digital video. Explores relevant theory and research in sense-making, surrogates, narrative, and narrative intelligence and presents preliminary results of two research studies. Results have…

Investigates the design history of women's household sewing patterns as that history is recorded in United States Patent Records. Finds that the history of home sewing patterns illustrates a key aspect of usable design: the interrelationship between a device and its documentation and the way changes to both enhance overall product usability. (RS)

Advocates reexamining reference services and outreach programs, and relating them more closely. Argues that archival records are underutilized and that archivists should proactively reach out to researchers and encourage research use. Discusses researcher services; measuring and reporting on researcher use; electronic records; and creating…

This survey of 208 Internet users examined the factors underlying Internet usage and shopping. Data were gathered on Information shopping (IS) innovativeness, overall IS frequency, visit variety, purchase variety, network prevalence, education, age, gender, employment, extensiveness of Internet use, and non-shopping Internet applications. (MES)

Examines the Internet auction phenomenon as it relates to the marketing mix of online auction sellers. The data indicate that, while there is great diversity among businesses that utilize online auctions, distinct cost leadership and differentiation marketing strategies are both evident. These two approaches are further distinguished in terms of…

Explains the process of creating, implementing, and getting results from a usability study of a library Web site while spending little or no money, based on experiences at the Kansas City Public Library. Topics include how to design the test; finding volunteers to participate; and how to use the results. (LRW)

Describes two database systems in a law enforcement agency: one is a legacy, text-based system with cumbersome navigation; the newer system is a graphical user interface with simplified navigation. Discusses results of two user studies that showed personnel preferred the older more familiar system and considers implications for system design and…