Subject and longitudinal use of books by Indian space technologists

Sridhar, M. S. Subject and longitudinal use of books by Indian space technologists. Collection Management, 1986, vol. 8, n. 1 Spri, pp. 101-115. [Journal article (Paginated)]

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English abstract

A 20% stratified sample of books of the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Satellite Centre (ISAC) Library were examined to record over 14,000 outside borrowings. The use of these books is analysed with frequency tables to pinpoint unused, least used and highly used books. Studies are made also of the relative use of books in different subject groups, longitudinal use over time, subject use of unused and highly used books and distribution of use over age and year of acquisition of the books. The paper concludes by discussing the extent of use of books at the ISAC Library and providing findings concerning collection development and weeding processes.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Use studies, user studies, space technologists, use of books, longitudinal studies, special libraries, subject-wise use of books
Subjects: C. Users, literacy and reading. > CA. Use studies.
Depositing user: Dr. M S Sridhar
Date deposited: 28 Sep 2007
Last modified: 02 Oct 2014 12:09
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/10444

References

NOTES AND REFERENCES

1. M. S. Sridhar, “A case study of lent out use of documents in a special library" (to be published).

2. During seven years and two months period at Pittsburgh University Library 48.37% of the collection did not circulate at all. See Allen Kent et al. Use of library materials: The University of Pittsburgh study. New York: Marcel Dekker Inc., 1979, Pp. 12-13. Under 55% of books had no recorded use during a nineteen-month period at Newcastle Upon Tyne Polytechnic Library. See C. Harris "A comparison of issues and in library use of books", Aslib proceedings, 29(3) March 1977, p.119.

3. Kent defines an item as being in the core collection if it circulates externally one or more times. Allen Kent et al. Idem. p.49.

4. Ibid, p.10.

5. Ibid, p.38. In the case of the Harris study loans account for just over 45% of stock. C. Harris, Idem, Pp.119-120.

6. John Martyn and F. Wilfred Lancaster. Investigative methods in library and information science: An introduction. Virginia: Information Resources Press, 1981, p.78.

7. A previous study on the effect of age upon book use revealed a similar result. See M.S.Sridhar, "Document reservation pattern in a special library: A case study", Library science with a slant to documentation, 20(1) March 1983, Pp. 39-48.

8. Maurice Line and A. Sandison, "Obsolescence and changes in the use of literature with time", Journal of documentation, 30(3) Sept 1974, p. 51.

9. Harris study showed that "... a greater proportion of material acquired in 1972 was used than of that acquired prior to 1972 (and) ... material acquired after 1972 is more heavily used than that material acquired during 1972, reflecting a general presence for novelty of stock." See C. Harris, Idem, p.121.


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