Circulation data from the Virginia Tech Libraries were analyzed to determine the extent of continuity or change between the author's study of the use of subject collections in 1982 and the present. Book circulation has declined, largely due to much less use by undergraduates. The overall profile of subject use has changed in ways traceable to…

Analysis of a survey, completed by 128 collection development librarians at 72 liberal arts colleges, ranked six university presses and 58 publishers associated with science and technology, humanities, and social sciences by their perceptions of familiarity, quality and academic relevance. Found that university presses are well respected:…

Describes a program developed at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) libraries that moved librarians from the centralized main library to college departments that are not served by branch libraries. Topics include remote access capabilities; librarians' roles, including reference librarian, instructor, Web master,…

Discussion of library purchasing decisions regarding serials focuses on efforts at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to compile numerous measures into a comprehensive database for decision support. Discusses a faculty survey of serials needs and future implications. (Author/LRW)

Data from a national sample of academic library directors were used to determine their educational attainment, previous professional experience, selection processes through internal or external channels, and whether male or female directors tend to be appointed through internal or external progression. (JAB)

Suggests that fundamental questions with broad policy implications and a perspective that approaches academic library from patron's point of view remain to be asked about library costs, collections and their use, library users, and both the academic setting itself and the people who work within it. Seventeen references are cited. (EJS)

Findings of study of user perceptions of online public access catalog in an academic library system indicate that: most patrons learned to use system from printed instructions; next most frequent sources of information were library staff and help feature; most patrons were extremely satisfied with system. Six references are cited. (EJS)

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

Findings of a longitudinal study indicate high success rates for OCLC as a source of cataloging copy. They further suggest that holding patterns for many types of materials may be unnecessary. (Author/RAA)

Examines data on circulation and in-house use of academic library collections to assess differences according to use, measurement technique, and time period. The discussion examines differences in current periodical use and other kinds of uses, differences between circulation and in-house use, and the reliability of short sampling periods. (13…

Argues that the internal organization of collection development and the nature of science and scholarship lead to inevitable gaps in collection development. The structural and intellectual causes of collection development gaps are analyzed, and a number of areas whose literatures are especially vulnerable to being ignored or overlooked by…

Examines trends in authorship, reference practices, and quantitative techniques in "College and Research Libraries" from 1939 through 1988. Specific characteristics discussed include: percentages of unreferenced articles; average number of references per article; sex and institution of source authors; extent of collaborative authorship;…

This third in a series of articles on scholarly communications and serials prices focuses on the possible role of electronic journals. Highlights include the increase in scientific and scholarly productivity; price differentials between private and for-profit journals; publisher's costs and profits; copyright issues; and the role of libraries and…